Our History

Lakeshore College began in 1911 when Wisconsin enacted legislation creating a state system of vocational schools to prepare residents for the competitive labor market. In 1912 and 1913, the current Lakeshore district of the state system began as separate industrial/continuation schools operating in Manitowoc, Two Rivers, and Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In July 1967, the three schools combined, establishing District Eleven of the Lakeshore Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education (VTAE) System. Lakeshore College opened its centrally located main campus in July 1974 in Cleveland. At that time, the district name changed to Lakeshore VTAE District, and the college was known as Lakeshore Technical Institute (LTI). In 1988, LTI changed its name to Lakeshore Technical College to reflect the evolution from basic skills course offerings to technical course offerings in computer and other sophisticated equipment that better met the market need for technical skills training.

We continue evolving to meet community needs. In 2022, our college began offering Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, elevating us from strictly a technical college to a comprehensive community and technical college. This led to changing our name to Lakeshore College in 2024. The new name better aligns with our expanded offerings, mission, vision, and contributions to our communities. Our tagline emphasizes our commitment to providing both pre-bachelor’s degree and technical programs.

In addition to the Cleveland campus, Lakeshore educates students at learning campuses in downtown Manitowoc and downtown Sheboygan.

Lakeshore College educates nearly 9,000 students annually. Students enroll at Lakeshore to master real-world, employable career skills and start their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Lakeshore faculty and staff are focused on providing each individual student an individualized learning experience.

Approximately 800 students graduate from Lakeshore each year, and associate degree graduates report earning a median salary of $61,355 within six months of graduating.

Lakeshore College students help build a strong community, and we are proud to be part of their journey.