Headlines on “The Lost Bus” movie set during recent California wildfires, a school bus Wi-Fi solution for fiscal year 2025, a $10 million Ohio safety grant for seatbelts, and a Maryland school bus driver union sending flyers home with students to gain parental support of a strike.
Gregg Fox, transportation director for Franklin Square Union Free School District in New York and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses improving workplace culture, retaining staff amid a changing economy, leveraging technology for efficiency and meeting the challenging state electrification mandate.
Headlines include federal restrictions on undocumented workers obtaining CDLs and an investment into education technology.
Transfinder President and CEO Antonio Civitella shares how the company’s technology tools support students with special needs and discusses the value in participating in the free annual Top Transportation Teams program.
Special education attorney and returning TSD Conference keynote speaker Betsey Helfrich joins us to discuss current legal issues such as bus video and student cellphones, as well as overall support for students with special needs.
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Wisconsin Watch asked two professors in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics how a new nuclear plant in Kewaunee County would impact the local workforce and economy.
They believe there is a ready pipeline of qualified workers in the state to keep up with that added demand.
Electrical, civil, chemical and mechanical engineering workers will be needed to design and operate the new reactor. The project will also require many people in the skilled trades, such as electricians, welders, pipefitters and other construction workers.
Many institutions could play a role in preparing workers for jobs at a nuclear power plant, including UW-Madison and Lakeshore Technical College.
In a small farming community off the shore of Lake Michigan, Kewaunee County’s nuclear power plant has sat lifeless for over a decade. But increased demand for power driven by artificial intelligence and data centers could change that.
Plant owner EnergySolutions and WEC Energy Group are asking the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for approval to build a new nuclear facility at the site. If it is granted, officials expect construction could begin in the early 2030s and the plant could come online by 2040. The process would likely require labor from thousands of workers, WEC spokesperson Brendan Conway said.
Wisconsin Watch asked two professors in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics how this might impact the local workforce and economy.
Here’s what to know.
Does Wisconsin have enough nuclear engineers for a new plant?
Bringing a new power station online means Wisconsin would need more nuclear engineers to design and operate the plant.
UW-Madison “pumps out” nuclear engineers, but Wisconsin has only one nuclear plant located in Two Rivers, Lindley said. This leaves some graduates to look for employment in other states.
“A lot of them want to stay in the state, and so having more job opportunities would certainly help,” Lindley said.
While there is increased interest in nuclear engineering professions today, Lindley said, the industry does have a gap that is harder to fill: workers in their 40s.
Many people who flocked to nuclear engineering in the 1970s and 1980s are now retiring, leaving a gap between aging workers and those entering the workforce. The profession has the challenge of training up these younger workers while trying to hang onto older employees for as long as possible.
“When we stopped doing nuclear in the U.S. and elsewhere in the West, there’s that gap in skills of people who weren’t really trained up in the ’90s,” Lindley said. “That’s a trickier one to fill. And the whole sector has that problem.”
There were 78 nuclear engineers employed in Wisconsin in 2022, the most recently available state data shows, and the workforce was projected to shrink by seven jobs by 2032. Those in the occupation made a median salary of $106,740 in 2024. Nuclear engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering or a related field at minimum.
What other workers will be needed?
In the grand scheme, nuclear engineers are likely the minority of workers who will be needed if a new plant opens, Lindley said. The construction and the operation of the plant are distinct phases that will require a healthy mix of blue- and white-collar workers.
While Kewaunee Power Station is still standing, EnergySolutions has been decommissioning it — cleaning up nuclear waste and radioactive materials to dismantle the plant — since 2022, meaning the old reactor will not be brought back online, Conway said. It would be a new facility, requiring the construction of a nuclear reactor.
“What you’ve seen in other plants like this is, it’s a blend of training local people, sourcing from firms that are already in the state, including construction firms, and then also they’d probably need people coming in from outside in the building phase, as well,” Lindley said. “That’s just because of the amount of people you need, and it’s also the skills that you need. Ideally, you want construction firms involved who have been involved in other nuclear construction projects.”
This is where Wisconsin’s skilled labor shortages may be felt the most. The state has struggled to meet the demand for labor in such professions.
“You need a lot of people in the skilled trades,” Wilson said. “This is a national concern – of whether we can keep up the pipeline of workers.”
That’s why employers have sought to push more prospective workers into apprenticeships, or programs that combine paid, on-the-job training with employer-sponsored classroom learning at a technical college. Apprenticeship participation hit an all-time high in 2024, with construction apprenticeships topping the list. However, Wisconsin still lags neighboring states in apprenticeship participation.
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development includes construction workers, welders and electricians on its “hot jobs” list — which names well-paying, high-growth jobs. It estimates the occupations have a combined 6,000 jobs open annually.
Who trains people for this work?
Many institutions could play a role in preparing workers for the roles needed at a nuclear power plant.
Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland has been training workers who have hands-on experience at the Kewaunee Power Station, despite it being nonoperational. The college partners with EnergySolutions to supply workers for the decommissioning process. Company officials have said the partnership allows people to work at the plant for several years and then take their skills to other nuclear facilities.
Beyond this, there’s been a “chicken and egg” problem when it comes to expanding nuclear energy job training, Wilson said. Without a growing industry in the state, it’s been difficult to justify having more programs at higher education institutions. But that could change once Kewaunee Power Station’s future becomes clear.
“If we were to have signals that these things would be growing, then I think we could do a lot of work,” Wilson said. “We would be eager to engage, from the University of Wisconsin here to some of those technical colleges to help them stand up and set up programs to make sure those people are prepared.”
Some skilled trades workers would also likely undergo further on-the-job training, Wilson said, because there are usually nuclear- and site-specific requirements beyond the typical union-based training to work at a power plant.
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.
The school year is well underway. Student transporters discuss tips to managing the hustle and bustle this time of year. Photo courtesy: Thomas Built Buses Cover design: Kimber Horne
Leadership takes the front page in this month’s issue as the school year rolls on and student transportation leaders tackle a variety of challenges to keep services running smoothly. Hear from the 2025 Top Transportation Team award winners on building strong workplace culture, find what keeps directors in their current roles and learn more about purchasing trends for transportation related technology. Read blogs on the power of influential leadership, prioritizing professional development and more.
Find the preview for the upcoming Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference to learn more about the speakers, topics and events coming to Texas on Nov. 6-11.
Rite of Passage
Students have gone back to school around the nation, and transportation directors share the challenges and solutions to keeping the school bus wheels going “round and round.”
Features
Small Moments, Big Impacts
Culture is the special sauce that drives the Top Transportation Teams award presented at STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada.
Purchasing Trends Fluctuate
With the new school year underway, school districts share their most wanted purchase items and the expected benefits of each new product or technology.
Special Reports
Follow the ‘Golden’ Brick Road
Department culture and administrative support are leading factors for keeping transportation leaders in their current role or prompting them to look elsewhere.
The struggle continues over E-Rate funding for school bus Wi-Fi, the NCST addresses the omission of alternative transportation in its national specs manual, and NASCAR star power boosts a school bus illegal passing PSA in Michigan.
Just announced: the Zonar Bus Suite, an all-in-one routing ecosystem. During July’s STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada, STN Publisher and President Tony Corpin caught up with Zonar CEO Charles Kriete and ez enRoute Founder Amit Anand to discuss their partnership that produced this solution.
Brad Hayn, director of transportation for Hoover City Schools in Alabama and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses building relationships for a cohesive team and successful technology implementation.
Headlines on tragic violent incidents, electric endeavors, drug testing, a bus fire and more.
Sean Hollas, interim transportation director for Goddard Public Schools in Kansas and a 2025 Top Transportation Teams Award winner, discusses fostering positive workplace culture and leveraging technology for efficiency.
Take a look behind the operational curtain with Brenda Boyd, transportation director for Holland Public Schools in Michigan and the Technology Super User featured on the STN September issue cover.
Senate and Assembly Democratic lawmakers proposed their own package of education bills ahead of the floor session that would increase general aid for public schools by $325 per pupil, provide transparency on voucher school costs and provide free school meals to students. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)
Wisconsin Assembly Republicans passed a handful of bills Thursday on an array of issues. Democrats argued the measures won’t solve the problems facing Wisconsinites and unveiled their own proposals.
The Assembly floor session is the first since lawmakers broke for the summer after completing the state budget. The Senate does not plan to meet this month, and Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton) told reporters during a press conference that it was a “shame” they wouldn’t. She said she has had conversations about meeting in October.
Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine) said Republicans’ agenda for Thursday was an example of “prioritizing culture wars” rather than “doing what’s right.”
Democrats’ education bills
Senate and Assembly Democratic lawmakers proposed their own package of education bills ahead of the floor session that would increase general aid for public schools by $325 per pupil, provide transparency on voucher school costs and provide free school meals to students.
“We would like to see our legislative Republican colleagues focus on the issues that are facing Wisconsinites — issues like cost of living, their public schools and their property taxes,” Neubauer said. “That’s why we’re bringing forward this package today, because we know from conversations with our constituents what they’re really concerned about.”
The Democrats’ education agenda contrasts with the plan announced by Assembly Republicans earlier this week. Republican proposals include encouraging consolidation of schools, calling on Gov. Tony Evers to opt into a federal school choice program, banning drones over schools and improving math education.
One Democratic bill would dedicate $325 in additional per pupil state aid to Wisconsin school districts. It would cost nearly $500 million for 2025-26 and nearly $700 million for 2026-27.
Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) called it the “bare minimum” that school districts need and said it would help school districts avoid raising property taxes.
“School districts will do better under this bill than current law,” Roys said. “We know every kid around the state deserves to go to a great school so that they can meet their potential, but to be clear, this bill is not everything that our kids need or deserve, not even close.”
Wisconsin’s most recent state budget did not give school districts any increase in per pupil general aid, despite calls from education advocates, Gov. Tony Evers and other Democrats to provide additional funding.
Republican lawmakers said they would not increase state aid after Evers used his partial veto power to extend a cap on the annual increase to limits on the revenue districts can raise from local taxpayer of $325 per pupil for the next 400 years. Without state funding, school districts only have the option of increasing property taxes to bring in the additional funds. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau projects that property taxes will increase by more than 7% on average over the next year.
Roys said the bill is a “test” to see if Republicans want to help keep property taxes stable, since providing no state aid to schools will drive those taxes up. She blamed Republicans for placing districts in a situation where they have to go to property taxpayers to keep up with costs.
Roys also knocked a Republican bill that would encourage school districts to explore consolidation and sharing services.
“They want to consolidate school districts. They want to close schools, and by the way, everything’s the governor’s fault. Give me a break,” Roys said. “They want to hold the line on property taxes? Prove it.”
The bill also includes an additional $31 million to ensure no school districts receive less state aid in 2025-26 than they received in 2024-25.
The Department of Public Instruction’s July 1 estimate found that 277 districts — or 65.8% — of school districts were going to receive less in general aid from the state in 2025.
Another bill seeks to provide greater transparency on the costs of voucher schools to districts by requiring property tax bills to include information about the cost. The bill would expand on a push that public school advocates are making at a local level after the city of Green Bay was able to add the information.
Rep. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay) said the bill would help inform residents who may be confused about where their tax dollars are going.
“We can say, time and time again, that the state is underfunding our local public schools. That is true. What they also don’t understand, and there’s a really simple fix, is how much of that money is leaving their district to go to other voucher schools. In some cases, millions and tens of millions of dollars… It is a simple fix. It is very straightforward,” Andraca said.
Requiring in-person work for state employees
AB 39 would require state employees to return to in-person work for at least 80% of their time — or four days a week for a full-time employee — starting this year. The bill passed 51-44 with all Democrats opposing it.
The bill initially required state agency employees to be in person the whole week, but an amendment dropped the minimum to four days.
Republican lawmakers have been calling for stricter limits on remote work for several years. The policies became normal for state employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nedweski said she isn’t “anti-telework,” but said remote work needs to be managed and measured. She said agencies haven’t provided data to show it is working. During the Assembly Committee on Government Oversight, Accountability and Transparency hearing on the bill, agency leaders said remote work policies have helped with recruitment and retention of employees.
“It’s time for state employees to return to the office and do the work that Wisconsin’s hard-working taxpayers are paying them to do to the best of their ability and in their most productive and efficient way,” Nedweski said. “We have a policy that allows for remote work agreements. We’re not saying the policy is ending, we’re saying, come back, have your performance evaluated and re-sign your remote work agreement.”
Rep. Mike Bare (D-Verona), the ranking member of the GOAT committee, pointed to the testimony they heard as he argued the bill wouldn’t help.
“A bill like this with a one-size-fits-all return to work policy will not make our state government better… Remote work policies were born from a crisis, and we all remember too well. They’ve become a success for our state government. We now have state workers dispersed all across the state. We’ve achieved savings by consolidating physical workspace. We’ve stayed competitive with the private market by appealing to how employees want to work and then what they expect from their work environment.”
Flag prohibition
AB 58 would prohibit flags, other than the United States flag, the state of Wisconsin flag and a few others on a list of exceptions, from being flown outside state and local buildings including the Wisconsin State Capitol. The bill passed 50-44, along party lines.
Rep. Jerry O’Connor, the author of the bill, argued that flags are part of the reason for increasing divisiveness, and even political violence. Wisconsin leaders condemned political violence during the session after the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday.
“It’s not the role of the government to pick the winners and losers on partisan and activist issues,” O’Connor said.
Some of the exceptions would include local government flags, those commemorating veterans, prisoners of war or missing in action, those recognizing a foreign nation for special purposes and a flag of a unit of firefighters, law enforcement officers or emergency medical technicians.
He said these exceptions are “simply recognizing those flags that are efficiently recognized by all levels of government.”
“We should have a shared outlook as to what we do as elected officials in this building here to promote unity and not division… I think we all could agree that those are the flags that represent all of us,” O’Connor said.
Rep. Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego) spoke specifically about pride flags, which are a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, when explaining his support of the legislation.
“You’re asking every Wisconsinite to sanction what that means,” Wichgers said in reference to the Progress Pride flag. The chevron portions of the flag include black and brown stripes to represent people of color who identify with the LGBTQ+ community as well as those living with HIV/AIDS. The light blue, pink and white stripes in the chevron represent transgender people.
“I can guarantee you when you ask the people that are in favor, they’re not going to know what that chevron means, so we’re endorsing, sanctioning something that is being flown above our flag that is probably divisive,” Wichgers said.
Rep. Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) said, however, that she views the bill as being divisive and as a violation of the First Amendment.
“I think as a body we should be promoting inclusiveness. It’s not just the more morally right thing to do. It also strengthens our communities, promotes mutual respect, and actually leads to more civic engagement,” Sinicki said. “These symbolic acts do matter. They matter to me, and they matter to the majority of people across Wisconsin.”
Prohibit health services funding for immigrants without legal status
AB 308, coauthored by Rep. Alex Dallman (R-Markesan), passed 50-44 along party lines. The bill would prohibit state, county, village, long-term care district and federal funds from being used to subsidize, reimburse or provide compensation for any health care services for a person not lawfully in the United States.
Dallman said at a press conference that the bill is meant to stop Wisconsin from expanding its Medicaid to cover immigrants without legal status. Wisconsin already doesn’t allow this.
“This is going to take a step forward to say that we are going to again keep these funds available for our citizens who are paying in all these dollars,” Dallman said.
Advocates expressed concerns to the Examiner earlier this week that the bill would lead to health service providers having to check everyone’s citizenship status before providing care.
Rep. Angela Stroud (D-Ashland) said the bill is “the kind of thing that makes people hate politics.”
“We don’t provide health care to undocumented immigrants. The reason we’re voting on this today is so that the majority party can go out and tell their voters that Democrats failed to stop giving health insurance to undocumented people, but we can’t stop something that isn’t happening. Why waste time and taxpayer money this way?” Stroud said. “If you don’t have affordable health care, they don’t want you to hold them accountable. Instead, they want you to blame someone else.”
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Some of the state’s fastest-growing jobs are in the health care and green energy fields.
Jobs projected to have the most openings tend to have high turnover and pay lower wages, according to state and federal data.
Many jobs that are shrinking the fastest are based on outdated technologies or practices.
Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development keeps a list of the “Hot Jobs” statewide – jobs that pay above the median wage, are expected to grow faster than average and have the most projected openings.
When Wisconsin Watch this spring launched a new pathways to success beat focused on jobs and job training, we set out to learn how Wisconsinites are building family-sustaining careers and what’s standing in their way.
Doing that required knowing how the job tides are changing in Wisconsin. What jobs are growing the fastest? Which are shrinking? What will be the most common jobs in the coming years, and what do they pay? The six charts below use state and federal data to answer those questions.
To learn more about any of these jobs, including what the work entails, how much it pays and how to get trained, click on the links in the article or visit a website like careeronestop.org, onetonline.org or skillexplorer.wisconsin.gov.
We’re planning follow-up coverage related to some of the growing fields on these lists. Which job or jobs would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have? Fill out this short Google form to let us know.
Which jobs are growing the fastest in Wisconsin?
Some of Wisconsin’s fastest-growing jobs are jobs in health and green energy fields, as you might expect. That includes the top four:
Six of the jobs that ranked in the top 10 fastest-growing have median salaries of $85,000 or more. Seven of the top 10 typically require a college degree, and four typically require a graduate degree.
Of the jobs that ranked in the top 10, just two (nurse practitioner and data scientist) are projected to add more than 1,000 jobs. Several are projected to add fewer than 200. By comparison, the state’s most common job, home health and personal care aide, is projected to have 14,150 annual openings, in part because of high turnover among those workers.
Three jobs were tied with physician assistants for 10th place. One is rail yard engineers, also known as hostlers or dinkey operators, who inspect train equipment and drive small locomotives to move railcars. The others are aircraft service attendants, who re-fuel planes and service them between flights, and administrative law judges or adjudicators, who rule on government matters. But while all three are projected to grow by 33% in Wisconsin, the number of physician assistants is projected to grow by 970, and the ranks of aircraft service attendants are projected to grow by just 50. Administrative law judges and rail yard engineers are projected to grow by just 10.
One note: These projections may not account for the latest developments in the job landscape, including how artificial intelligence might change the way Americans work, or what kinds of workers are needed. Gov. Tony Evers in 2023 appointed a task force to study how AI might transform Wisconsin’s labor market. The group found that bookkeepers, data entry keyers, credit analysts and insurance claims processors are among those whose work most overlaps with AI capabilities. They note that that doesn’t mean those workers will necessarily be replaced by AI; they could instead end up using AI tools to make their jobs easier or more efficient.
The task force also did the same analysis for the state’s 10 most common jobs. It found all had “middling” levels of AI exposure, suggesting they may not experience as much change with AI as some occupations will.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps to reverse renewable energy initiatives, a move that could threaten the projected job growth for wind turbine service technicians. Twice this year the federal government halted construction of offshore wind farms.
Which jobs will have the most openings in Wisconsin?
Some occupations have lots of openings each year not because the industry is growing but because turnover is high. The jobs projected to have the most future openings in Wisconsin also pay some of the lowest wages. The top four have median annual salaries of less than $35,000 a year, and all of the top 10 have salaries under $46,000. None require education beyond a high school diploma, and most don’t require any formal education.
One in 10 Wisconsin workers holds one the top five jobs on this list, all with a 2022 median wage under $46,000. About 215,000 of those people work in jobs with a median wage under $35,000.
Of the 10 most common jobs, two stand out for higher average wages: registered nurse ($86,070) and truck driver ($57,380).
The state’s most common job involves caring for older adults or people with disabilities in their homes, helping with tasks like bathing, medication and grocery shopping. Across the country, demand for these workers is growing as more Americans choose to age in their homes rather than in assisted living or nursing facilities. In Wisconsin, the number of residents over 65 is expected to almost double by 2040, increasing demand. Industry leaders and disability advocacy groups say they already struggle to hire and retain enough workers as wages in other entry-level jobs rise, and they’ve called on the state to raise the Medicaid reimbursement rate, which pays for most of this care. The 2025-27 state budget allocates $19 million to raise that rate, less than half of what Evers requested.
Declining employment
Many of the jobs shrinking the fastest are ones you might expect: those based on outdated technologies or practices. About one in four positions held by telemarketers, switchboard operators, couriers, door-to-door salespeople and street vendors is projected to vanish by 2032.
Of the top 10 fastest-shrinking jobs, nine don’t usually require a college education.
Secretaries and administrative assistants are expected to lose the most jobs (2,420), followed by couriers and messengers (1,990), customer service representatives (1,550) and tellers (1,290).
Nursing assistant ranks are projected to shrink, too (by 720, or 3%), though that field will remain big in Wisconsin, with estimated 26,510 nursing assistant jobs in 2032.
‘Hot Jobs’
Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development keeps a list of the “Hot Jobs” statewide and in each of 11 regions. These jobs pay above the median wage for the state or region, are expected to grow faster than average and have the most projected openings. Visit this website to see the data and sort it in various ways.
One major caveat about this data: It compares 2032 to 2022, when COVID-19 was still disrupting the economy, so it favors jobs that have rebounded after shrinking during the pandemic.
For example, registered nurses don’t appear on the “Hot Jobs” list. The job pays well and it’s growing quickly, but few nurses lost their jobs in the pandemic. That means the field isn’t growing as much as those that saw major pandemic layoffs, said DWD Senior Research Analyst Maria del Pilar Casal. She expects registered nurses will make the list next time.
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Northeast Wisconsin’s fastest-growing jobs span a variety of industries, including health care and logistics.
Jobs in the region with the most openings tend to have low barriers to entry and tend to pay relatively low wages.
While the paper industry has a strong foothold in the northeast, paper goods machine operators are expected to lose the most positions.
What are the roughly 450,000 workers in northeast Wisconsin doing for a living? And how will that change in the next decade? We pored over state workforce data to find out.
Below are six charts you can use to make sense of which jobs are growing and shrinking across the region.
Wisconsin Watch also published a version with data that encompasses jobs across the entire state.
This article is solely focused on job trends in northeast Wisconsin. As we continue to build our new northeast Wisconsin bureau, you can expect us to provide more stories tailored to the region.
Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development — the state agency from which we sourced this data — defines the “Bay Area” as Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano and Sheboygan counties.
Home health and personal care aides are the fastest-growing occupation in the region, expected to add nearly 1,200 jobs by 2032. Wisconsin will need more workers to assist older adults as the state’s population continues to age significantly, with the number of residents over the age of 74 expected to increase 41% between 2020 and 2030.
Several of the occupations on this list are already some of the most popular in the region, so the hundreds to thousands of jobs they’re expected to add represent a smaller share of the area’s overall workforce. When looking at growth by percentage, some other occupations are expected to add a smaller number of jobs, but they will constitute a larger share of the workforce.
The occupations expected to grow most percentage-wise include:
Nurse practitioners, projected to grow 62% by adding 450 jobs.
Data scientists, projected to grow 47% by adding 148 jobs.
Physician assistants, projected to grow 41% by adding 128 jobs.
Actuaries, projected to grow 41% by adding 49 jobs.
Information security analysts, projected to grow 41% by adding 115 jobs.
Some occupations have lots of openings each year — not necessarily because the industry is growing but because there are more people leaving their roles.
Many of the jobs projected to have the most future openings have low barriers to entry, meaning they don’t require formal education or certification to obtain. They also pay relatively low wages — for example, topping the list is fast food counter workers, who made an average salary of $27,890 in the region in 2024.
Many of the jobs that have the most openings each year are also the most common jobs for northeast Wisconsinites to hold.
The 10 most common occupations in the region span largely essential jobs, including the workers who treat you at the hospital, those keeping the region’s restaurant industry alive and the people who make sure your packages are safely packed and delivered.
While the paper industry has a strong foothold in the northeast, paper goods machine operators top the list for anticipated job loss. This includes workers who tend paper goods machines that convert, saw, corrugate or seal paper or paperboard sheets into products.
Other industries are expected to lose fewer jobs, but those losses will make a larger dent in the profession. Some of the occupations expected to lose the most percentage-wise are:
Broadcast technicians, expected to lose 35 jobs, a 60% decrease.
Word processors and typists, expected to lose 10 jobs, a 37% decrease.
Nuclear engineers, expected to lose eight jobs, a 23% decrease.
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials, expected to lose 18 jobs for a 20% decrease.
Data entry keyers, expected to lose 72 jobs, a 19% decrease.
Most of these occupations — telemarketers, typists and data entry keyers — are based on outdated technologies or practices, so the fact that they’re shrinking quickly may not be surprising.
Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development keeps a list of the “Hot Jobs” in every region of the state. To be classified as such, the occupation must pay above the state’s median salary, have an above-average growth rate and top the list of projected job openings.
Use the table to explore what education and training northeast Wisconsin’s “Hot Jobs” provide, what they pay and how they’re expected to grow.
Note: This data may be slightly skewed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The department says it accounts for pandemic impacts “as accurately as possible.” Some occupations that regularly have large growth rates didn’t make the cut if they didn’t show a significant decline in 2020 followed by a notable recovery, the department notes.
Is there a job you’re curious about that didn’t make one of our charts? Use this searchable database of hundreds of occupations to see how each is expected to change in the northeast region by 2032.
We’re planning follow-up coverage related to Wisconsin’s fastest-growing fields. Which jobs would you like to learn more about? Fill out this short Google form to let us know.
BOSTON, Mass. – Michelle Harpenau, Manager of Commercial Development for Durham School Services, has been awarded the National School Transportation Association’s (NSTA) Golden Merit Award for her exemplary service and dedication to the school bus industry
The NSTA Golden Merit Award was created in 1969 as a way to recognize school bus professionals for their dedication and contributions to the school bus industry in areas such as safety, community service, business practices, and vehicle maintenance.
Michelle, along with other award recipients, were recognized and presented with the award at the NSTA Awards and Installation Dinner on July 22, 2025, surrounded by family and fellow team members and industry professionals. The award presentation was held as part of NSTA’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Convention.
“Michelle is an exceptionally talented and valued team member who has an inherent ability to foster positivity within the team and work environment. She has led the company to growth and success as a result of her industry experience and aptitude for breaking down and simplifying financial situations for her team. Even in times of high stress, Michelle can be seen with an infectious smile on her face that spreads to those around her, lightening the mood, and driving motivation and morale,” said Dan Cecchin, Senior Vice President of Commercial Development, Durham School Services. “This award is fittingly well-deserved and an incredible symbol of Michelle’s impressive career and service excellence. Congrats, Michelle. Thanks for always going above and beyond for the team and Company. We are lucky to have you.”
About Durham School Services: As an industry-leading student transportation provider, Durham School Services and its sister brands, Stock Transportation and Petermann Bus, are dedicated to the safety of our students and People. Collectively, for more than 100 years, we have been committed to Excellence and upholding our mission of getting students to school safely, on time, and ready to learn. Through this mission and a grassroots approach to our operations, Durham School Services and its sister brands have earned recognition as a trusted transportation provider among our Customers and the Communities they serve.
David Weber, business development manager for School-Radio, analyzes new bus radio and communication technology solutions that can optimize district operations.
Regional Sales Manager James Holtz gives us a glimpse of the innovative new electric school bus Blade Battery from RIDE.
Amidst rapid developments in the clean fuel school bus market, Francisco “Paco” Lagunas, general manager of the North American bus market for Cummins, and Richard Garvin, director of strategy and commercial business development, present answers from the energy leader.
Director of Transportation Teri Mapengo discusses operations, technology and fostering the kind of positive workplace culture that won Prosper Independent School District in Texas a Top Transportation Teams award at this week’s STN EXPO in Reno, Nevada.
RENO, Nev. — Transportation directors from six school districts across the U.S. shared the grand and simple techniques they use to increase employee satisfaction and win a Top Transportation Teams Award.
The Top Transportation Teams award is in its third year. The three winning districts in the category with 100 or more employees consist of Hoover City Schools in Alabama, Prosper Independent School District in Texas and Goddard Public Schools in Kansas. The remaining three districts won for the under 100 employees category: Pembroke Central School District in New York, Wa-Nee Community Schools in Indiana, and Franklin Square Union Free School District in New York. Pembroke CSD won the highest overall rank and Prosper ISD had the most people participate. Antonio Civitella, president and CEO of award sponsor Transfinder, led a Monday Lunch and Learn panel with the districts’ transportation directors at STN EXPO West to discuss the reasons for their success.
“We’re not just coworkers, we all look out for each other,” said Gregg Fox, director of transportation for Franklin Square. He said he encourages his drivers to have a positive impact on every child’s day.
Julie Lawson is the transportation supervisor for Pembroke CSD, which also won in 2023. She said it’s all about relationships since her district is in a small town with students and drivers often knowing each other.
Amy Rosa, director of school safety and transportation Wa-Nee Community Schools – another repeat winner from last year – spoke to the good wages and positive relationships with district administration that make her school bus drivers feel supported.
Transportation is often the forgotten department in a school district, noted Sean Hollas, transportation director for Goddard Public Schools. Due to his previous role as a school principal, he said he knew making workplace culture a priority was key to employee satisfaction.
“It’s all about the people,” concurred Brad Hayne, director of transportation for Hoover City Schools, who made it a point to bring several team members to STN EXPO. “You have to be thankful that they’re there, because they could be driving for anyone.”
Teri Mapengo, transportation director for Prosper ISD, agreed that it was important to visibly support bus drivers and keep an open-door policy, so they feel heard.
Focused on Workplace Culture
Goddard Public Schools’ workplace culture was severely lacking when Hollas arrived. He observed from his experience in improving it, that keeping employees with ambivalent or hostile attitudes can harm overall team morale.
When making changes like implementing new technology, Hayne said, “You have to seek out the people who have sway in your department. Get them into your vision.”
Mapengo agreed that getting the loudest people on your side can greatly progress a leader’s ideas.
Fox said he drives the day’s earliest school bus route so he’s visible to his team members and the community, showing that, “I’m one of them, I’m in the field with them.”
Lawson said she likewise sits near drivers in the morning and throws pizza parties to make them feel comfortable talking with her.
“That’s what makes culture stick,” Civitella enthused.
Rosa shared that she has no driver shortage, which she attributes to good wages and benefits, positive word-of-mouth and the feeling that it’s a mission not a job. Being flexible with scheduling has netted her first responders and school staff who are able to drive part-time. “Now we have a line of people waiting to get in,” she said.
Civitella agreed with panelists that so-called small things like happy birthday wishes, handwritten notes, and emailed congratulations go a long way. “It’s all part of getting people recognized,” he said. One attendee who used to work for Mapengo got emotional as she shared that she still kept her former boss’ handwritten notes to look at.
Fox switched from a catered meal to a potluck to better reflect the cultural diversity and honor the contributions of all his employees. Mapengo added that potlucks are good opportunities for districts with tight budgets to still bring their teams together.
Panelists agreed that making improvements to broken or dirty appliances and break room furniture helps show transportation employees that they are valued and gets them more engaged.
Other techniques attendees added included themed dress-up days, holiday celebrations, March Madness brackets with prizes like having your route covered, personal holiday texts, and personalized conversations.
Mapengo added that a small but significant modification she made was changing “substitute drivers” to “support drivers” for a more inclusive feel.
Could Your District Be a Top Transportation Team?
All panelists agreed that the Top Transportation Team process was a worthwhile experience and they will try to win another award for their teams next year.
Fox stressed the importance of offering employees the chance to give their opinions, even negative ones. He and Rosa agreed that the national recognition by School Transportation News, presenter of the STN EXPO, is a nice change from the usually negative press that transportation gets, even as professionals successfully and quietly run multi-million-dollar organizations every day.
“Remember to keep it about the people,” Hollas said. He also advised cultivating good relationships between drivers and students’ parents.
Hayne noted that data, like the employee surveys that are used to determine the Top Transportation Team award winners, are important and inform his future operations. Show your people their voice matters, he said.
“It’s good to be good but it’s better to be great,” Mapengo commented.
Rosa said she sometimes zooms out on Transfinder’s bus routing map to see operations across the country to gain perspective in the midst of heated situations with a parent or principal. “We’re all in this together,” she stated.
Civitella reminded attendees that the Top Transportation Teams program is free for school districts to enter and includes a copy of the employee survey results. They also don’t have to be a Transfinder client to participate. The winners receive complimentary STN EXPO Main Conference Attendee registration, hotel and airfare.
“There’s always going to be ways you can improve,” he said.
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