The Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE) is launching a new campaign to raise $75,000 in additional donations to support Second Chance Partners for Education (SCPFE) in its quest to help create a sustainable talent pipeline in the city of Milwaukee.
SCPFE intends to create a new education center in the city.
As a result of donations last year, SCPFE launched an education center at Lakeside Manufacturing in West Milwaukee last fall.
“And with a 95 percent attendance rate and 90 percent graduation rate in the SCPFE Program, we’re more confident than ever that Second Chance can play a critical role in charting a path for our city’s young adults,” said Mary Scheibel, chairwoman of COSBE and a principal at Trefoil Group. “COSBE’s small business roundtables were a huge factor in our spectacular achievement last year, and we know that this same level of commitment will be essential to continue our support of SCPFE, and to ensure we reach our fundraising goal this year. We’re confident that with the support of the COSBE board of directors, its Executive Roundtable members and the connections of our 1,800 MMAC member companies, that this year’s target is again a very realistic goal.
The new campaign will be used to fund books, computers, technology, transportation and other materials needed during the center’s first year.
An alternative education program, SCPFE offers high school students an integrated learning experience on-site at manufacturing companies where curriculum is matched with real work experience at Milwaukee manufacturers. After graduation, 60 percent of the students enter the workforce immediately for the companies where they intern, 30 percent go on to technical colleges or four-year universities and 10 percent enter the military.
For more information, contact COSBE executive director Mary Steinbrecher at (414) 287-4128.
