Madison College Enrollment Up 14 Percent

MATC Enrollment Up 14 Percent

Posted Monday, January 11, 2010 -- 5:10PM
By Zac Schultz/Channel 15

Madison: The line at the enrollment desk stretched down the hall for most of the day Monday. It's the first day of second semester classes at Madison Area Technical College and students were everywhere.

Enrollment is up 14% compared to this time last year- just try to find a place to sit in the cafeteria.

One of the biggest jumps in enrollment is in the age group 30 to 49. Typically workers who have been laid off, or those just looking for that next career "That's why I'm here. To get some help and try and figure out what my next step is," says Joelle Zradicka, who is attending a dislocated worker workshop.

She's spent the last 12 years in the painter's union, but work is slow. "It's just very slow in a lot of the trades. I'm a painter, steel studs not going up, I don't have drywall, I don't paint anything."

At age 38, Joelle has realized she needs a new trade. "I'm very overwhelmed. I don't quite know which way to go, who to turn to, so therefore people have been saying to come to this program."

Al Studesville has been dealing with this for 16 years as a counselor. He says the most common issue older students face is they don't know what questions to ask. As a counselor, he hopes to get them into a program that will lead to a career. "I'm just hoping and praying we have enough dollars to help all the people who have a need. That's my biggest concern right now."

Joelle is ready to take the next step, she just doesn't know which direction that will be. "Brand new and scary. Exciting at the same time. I want to try and figure out what I'm goign to do with the rest of my life before I'm 40."

You may have noticed the MATC portion of your property tax bill went up quite a bit for last year. Officials say that's because all the new students enrolling at the college has forced them to increase their budget.