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.
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. The 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.
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
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 apprentice. It was the third consecutive year that the Registered Apprenticeship Program reached an all-time record in the program’s 112-year history. T
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.
To learn more about Wisconsin Apprenticeship, visit WisconsinApprenticeship.com.
