The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is reorganizing its workforce development and continuing education structure with a new office for partnership and workforce innovation.

The new office, known as Parkside Works, will launch this year as the university merges its four academic colleges into a singular entity.

At the same time, Parkside Works will merge the college’s partnership-oriented units – the Alan E. Guskin Center for Community & Business Engagement, Professionals & Continuing Education, Career Center and Business Development center – into one cohesive office.

“They were looking at how do we best provide services and opportunities within the university, and they thought the best structure would be to have one overall centralized kind of front door into the university,” Parkside Works executive director Steve Donovan told the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Parkside Works will offer research and workforce training including internship program development, co-op opportunities, career fairs, on-campus recruiting, work-based learning programs, professional development programs, contract training certificates and more, according to system board documents.

“We’re looking to intertwine real world opportunities and situations so that (students are) better prepared when they graduate to find a job,” Donovan said. “Because at the end of the day, you’re here to educate but ultimately you’re here to help people get employed and have a great career.”

Read more at Milwaukee Business Journal.