UW diploma program connects college students with tourism business

SAUK COUNTY, Wisconsin (WMTV) – With summer approaching, Wisconsin Dells will see a busy season and a boost for tourism in the area. As Wisconsin comes out of the pandemic, a new UW systems program connects businesses with seasonal workers.

For resorts in the Dells like Wilderness Resort, summer is the busiest time of year, even in year two of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are really seeing a revival in people who are being vaccinated this year,” said Wilderness Resort spokeswoman Heidi Fendos.

However, Fendos said the pandemic was making it difficult for international workers to get visas. Typically, resorts hire about a quarter of seasonal workers outside of the United States on the J-1 Visa program.

“We’ll probably get about 50 percent of the J-1 workers we expect,” explained Fendos, adding, “We still need about 200 seasonal workers.”

A new partnership between UW-Platteville’s Baraboo Sauk County Campus and UW-Stout is taking steps to address this void.

“This program is developing in the right place at the right time,” said Wayne Weber, dean of the College of Business, Industry, Life Sciences and Agriculture at UW-Platteville.

The two universities are starting an associate degree in hospitality and tourism.

“It will give the students a really strong background in terms of hospitality, dining and accommodation principles,” Weber explained.

Students also learn the basics of business management and accounting.

The first group of students will start the program in autumn 2021. They will begin internships in the industry the following summer, many of them in the Wisconsin Dells.

“This will be the high season so there will be plenty of opportunities for these students to get involved,” Weber said.

The early internship program will work with industry partners to provide students with hands-on experience in their fields of study.

“These experiences will contribute to their overall career success,” said Weber.

The program will also connect companies with permanent workforce once Wisconsin emerges from the pandemic.

“We are very excited about a pipeline that we can achieve,” said Fendos of the program.

Weber added, “There’s a lot of optimism out there and the students can be a part of it.”

Weber also stated that the Associates degree program is designed to help students transition to four-year degrees in areas such as business administration and hospitality management.

Romy Snyder, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Dells Visitors and Convention Bureau, described the program in a statement to NBC15 as a “great win for our region”. Snyder continued, “Local hospitality businesses will have the opportunity to recruit and retain local talent while prospective students and graduates can work and study in a top Midwestern travel destination. We hope this educational program will generate future talent in the years to come. ”

Copyright 2021 WMTV. All rights reserved.