Student enrollment in Wisconsin technical colleges reached a 20-year high in the 2002-03 school year and officials expect to see similar or higher enrollment numbers for the current year.

Enrollment at Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges, spread out across the state, totaled 66,800 full time students in the 2002-03 school year, which represents a four- to five-percent increase in students at each campus.

Kyle Schwarm, spokesman for the Wisconsin Technical Colleges System, said that enrollment has risen in the past when the economy struggles.

“We expect enrollment to go up this year and follow the trend of the economy,” Schwarm said.

Schwarm also said technical colleges have a dramatic effect on refueling Wisconsin’s economy and are key for economic development. The technical colleges are in close contact with businesses in each locale to provide the training necessary for that community’s needs and have very high job placement as a result.

Jim Gribble, director of public relations for the Milwaukee Area Technical College, attributed the increased enrollment partly to the number of students returning to receive an education.

“Due to the difficult job market, people are forced out of jobs and they realize that they need skills. Technical colleges are an affordable and accessible alternative, as there is a continued strong demand for skilled workers,” Gribble said.

Both Gribble and Schwarm mentioned that health-related fields have especially seen an increase in enrollment. They attribute this to the nationwide shortage of registered nurses and the need to replace retiring or aging workers.

MATC expanded its two-year nursing program twice in the past year and will expand it again in the spring to accommodate student demand.

Gribble stated that despite MATC’s efforts to make the program available, there is a waiting list of several years. However, if students apply to the program and complete their pre-requisites, such as science courses, admission to the program is not difficult.

Liz Bourke, a third year nursing student at Moraine Park Technical College in West Bend, said she has felt the enrollment increase and program crunch.

“There’s a three-year waiting list for the RN program. It’s really a two-year program, but it ends up being three to three and a half years,” Bourke said.

Schwarm pointed out that while health training programs are vital for the state, they are also the most expensive to run. Nursing students, for example, have semester-long clinical training courses in nursing homes or hospitals to gain experience.

Due to statewide budget cuts, funding for the state technical college system was frozen at an annual $118 million for the next two years. As Schwarm said, funding has remained consistent, with no decreases, but no increases either.

Gribble also mentioned the budget cuts, adding, “The technical colleges weren’t hit as hard, and we’re very grateful for the funding we do have, but Gov. Doyle did spread the paint around and we’re absorbing some of it.”

Despite her extended time in the program, Bourke recognizes the value her RN degree will have.

“I went back to school because I need to be able to support my kids and myself if something happened to my husband. And I like being able to provide for my family,” she said.