A program that gives students the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits in the same class has been gaining popularity over the past few years, and it officially had its highest number of students in recent years. 

The main pull of the program is to jump start the process of getting into college. Schools around the county have offered these classes, in partnership with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. One of the main dual-credit programs in Door County is the Sevastopol High School CNC Program, which sees students from all of the local schools take CNC classes while earning up to 15 college credits through NWTC. Sturgeon Bay Campus Regional Manager April Konitzer talks about the program's popularity. 

One thing NWTC has done with their Sturgeon Bay campus according to Konitzer is making the diesel programs schedule more high school-friendly, which gives students a better opportunity to fit the program into their regular daily schedule. This was done due to the interest of the program compared to the availability of students who could make the time it was offered work.

Also on board are the employers and owners of businesses who are looking for new employees. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying group, released its summer employer survey last month showing 99 percent of respondents supported additional funding for apprenticeships, dual enrollment credits and work-based learning opportunities for high school students. In a new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, 69,741 students have enrolled in the program, with the most popular subjects being math, engineering, English, Spanish and medical terminology.