The Branch to return with spring 2022 session

WAUSAU – Students from a variety of colleges and universities in central Wisconsin will participate in The Branch’s spring session which kicks off on Saturday, February 26 at Northcentral Technical College’s Wausau campus. The Branch is a workforce development initiative introduced by the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, Northcentral Technical College and Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. in 2016. The program is an entrepreneurial skills accelerator which is designed to retain talent in central Wisconsin.

Student teams will work on innovation challenges from Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and Ruder Ware LLSC during the session. Interested students can review the spring schedule and apply on The Branch’s website. Students who complete the spring 2022 program will again receive a $500 scholarship.

“The Branch asks students from around the region to solve complex problems and to be entrepreneurial while connecting to the companies that need this local talent.” said Dave Eckmann, President/CEO of the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce. “We live in a very talent-competitive economy and will for the next 25 years, making this program very important to develop and retain the young members of our community.”

AROW Global Corp, Ansay & Associates LLC, Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., Incredible Bank, M3 Insurance, North Central Health Care, Westphal Staffing Inc and the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce have also provided challenges to student teams in previous sessions.

To view student and mentor testimonials and to watch videos from the program’s several Demo Day events, visit The Branch’s YouTube channel.

AROW Global Corp, Ansay & Associates LLC, Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce, Incredible Bank, M3 Insurance, North Central Health Care, Ruder Ware LLSC and Westphal Staffing Inc are sponsors of the program. UWSP at Wausau and the Wausau River District are program partners.

For more information or to register as a coach for a team, visit The Branch’s website. Businesses that are interested in becoming involved with the program can also register projects through the site or contact Brian Otten, marketing manager at the Chamber, at [email protected] or 715-848-5947.