Gov. Evers, DWD Announce Record-High Enrollment for Youth Apprentices for Fourth Year in a Row on National Apprenticeship Day During 2025 the Year of the Kid

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today, together with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD), celebrated “National Apprenticeship Day” and 2025 the Year of the Kid by announcing that for the fourth year in a row, Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship program set a new record high of 11,344 youth apprentices enrolled during the 2024-2025 school year, a 14 percent increase from the prior year.

“We’ve made smart investments to address our workforce challenges, expand access to worker training and apprenticeships, and reduce barriers to work for folks across the state—and it is clear that with another record-breaking year, our Youth and Registered Apprenticeship programs are leading the way,” said Gov. Evers. “During the Year of the Kid, my administration and I have been working to ensure young people across our state have the skills and resources to succeed, and I am proud that my budget continues these efforts to support our youth and maintain our economic momentum.”

Youth Apprenticeship is a one-year or two-year earn-while-you-learn program for high school juniors and seniors pairing work and related classroom instruction in a chosen occupation. This program implements a dual training system that combines skills obtained on the job site with technical knowledge in the classroom. Wisconsin was the first state in the nation to offer a Youth Apprenticeship program in 1991.

“During National Apprenticeship Day, we celebrate another Youth Apprenticeship record by recognizing how the program successfully connects employers to job seekers and trains the next generation of our workforce,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. “Apprentices represent Wisconsin’s future healthcare providers, construction workers, teachers, childcare providers, manufacturers, and much more.”

In addition to record-high enrollment, the Youth Apprenticeship program partnered with a record 7,447 employers, and more than 99 percent of Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts with a high school had students enrolled in Youth Apprenticeship for the 2024-25 school year.

Youth Apprenticeship pathways with the highest participation this school year are:

• Health Science: 2,089
• Manufacturing: 1,510
• Marketing: 1,415
• Architecture and Construction: 1,409
• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 1,303

“Wisconsin’s apprenticeship system has become more connected as employers and participants recognize the opportunities our programs offer together,” said DWD’s Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards Director David Polk. “Schools, employers, and local YA consortiums are preparing youth apprentices for the next step, whether that’s registered apprenticeship, higher education, or standard employment. Together, we ensure that our state’s youth apprentices are equipped for whatever their future holds.”

In addition to the Youth Apprenticeship program, the state’s Registered Apprenticeship program serves adults and can be the next step for Youth Apprenticeship participants. In November, Gov. Evers announced that Wisconsin’s Registered Apprenticeship Program has reached a record 17,089 enrolled apprentices, an all-time record. This surpasses record-high participation in both 2022 and 2023 and marks the third consecutive year that the Registered Apprenticeship Program has reached an all-time record in the program’s 112-year history. The Registered Apprenticeship program combines structured, on-the-job training with classroom instruction and allows apprentices to earn money while they learn, rewarding employers with a skilled workforce and providing participants with family-supporting careers.

In fact, more youth apprentices are choosing to become registered apprentices as part of their career pathway. In 2024, there were 504 former youth apprentices bridging to Registered Apprenticeship programs, or 11.7 percent of new registered apprenticeship contracts; 458, or 10.3 percent, in 2023; and 337, or 9.4 percent, in 2022. Participation in Certified-Pre Apprenticeship programs, which prepares adult participants for registered apprenticeships and careers of the future is also gaining increasing interest, with 37 programs and 23 training providers in 2024.

Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget proposal builds upon his administration’s efforts to support apprenticeship opportunities to bolster the state’s workforce, including investing in the state’s Registered and Youth Apprenticeship programs. The governor’s budget includes but is not limited to:

• More than $11 million over the biennium for local youth apprenticeship grants;
• More than $5.5 million to expand the state’s registered apprenticeship program, such as:
  • $500,000 over the biennium to provide resources and incentives that help connect
    youth apprentices with registered apprentice opportunities and pathways;
  • Over $800,000 over the biennium and 5.5 staff positions to train the next generation of workers in artificial intelligence and related fields;
  • Nearly 550,000 and one staff position within DWD’s Bureau of Apprenticeship to evaluate registered apprenticeship programs, enhance the apprenticeship infrastructure, and support the program expansion;
  • Over $3.7 million for the development of new workforce pathways, including on-the-job health care training; and
• $140 million over the biennium to establish a Workforce Innovation Grant Fund, which provides grants to regional entities for locally driven solutions to workforce challenges, such as apprenticeships.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is joining DWD and other partners in building awareness about apprenticeship through the Wisconsin 529 College Savings Plan and its two savings plans—Edvest 529 and Tomorrow’s Scholar—which can be used to pay for qualified expenses associated with apprenticeship programs registered with the Secretary of Labor’s National Apprenticeship Act and state apprenticeship agencies.

“Purchasing textbooks, supplies, and equipment, such as required trade tools, is vital to successfully completing an apprenticeship program,” said DFI Secretary Wendy K. Baumann. “During National Apprenticeship Day and throughout the year, we want to make sure students and families understand that funds they save in a Wisconsin 529 college savings plan aren’t limited to just college tuition. Savings can be utilized to support a variety of career pathways that lead to a bright future, including toward Registered Apprenticeship program related costs.”

To learn more about Wisconsin Apprenticeship, visit WisconsinApprenticeship.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.