Build Your Future in the Skilled Trades
Earn while you learn through a registered apprenticeship and a union construction career. Tell us about your interests, experience, and goals, and we’ll help point you toward the trades and programs that may fit.
Start With a Career That Works for You
Union apprenticeships combine paid, hands-on training with classroom instruction. You build real skills, earn a paycheck from day one, and work toward a nationally recognized credential without taking on the debt of a traditional four-year degree.
Earn While You Learn
Get paid as you train, with wages that typically increase as your skills and experience grow.
Train Without a Mountain of Debt
Receive high-quality technical instruction and on-the-job training while building a long-term career.
Learn From Experienced Professionals
Develop practical skills alongside journey-level tradespeople who know the work and the industry.
Build Skills You Can Take Anywhere
Complete a structured training program and work toward credentials recognized throughout the industry.
Your Next Step Is Simple.
You do not need to know exactly which trade is right for you before getting started. The interest form will help us understand where you are and what opportunities may make sense.
Step 1
Explore Your Options
Learn about more than a dozen skilled trades and training programs across Wisconsin.
Step 2
Tell Us About Yourself
Complete the short interest form with your location, trade interests, education, and current readiness.
Step 3
Get Pointed Toward the Right Next Step
Your answers will help identify relevant apprenticeship programs, youth opportunities, or other resources that can help you prepare.
There Is More Than One Way Into the Trades
This form is for people at different stages of exploring a skilled-trades career.
Ready to Apply Soon
You are 18 or older and want help finding programs that match your interests and location.
Changing Careers
You are looking for paid training, a debt-free education pathway, and work you can take pride in.
Still in High School
You want to learn about youth apprenticeship, career exploration, or ways to prepare for a future registered apprenticeship.
Not Sure Which Trade Fits
You are interested in the building trades but want help understanding the differences among the available careers.
Thinking Ahead? Start Here.
If you are under 18, the form will ask a few age-appropriate questions about school and your current plans. Depending on your age and school status, you may be directed toward youth apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, career exploration, or a registered apprenticeship program that accepts younger applicants.
The earlier you begin exploring your options, the better prepared you can be when it is time to apply.
What Might I Need?
Qualifications vary by trade, local union, apprenticeship committee, and training program. Some programs may require one or more of the following:
Education
A high school diploma, GED, HSED, or documentation that completion is in progress.
Transportation
A valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, or the ability to obtain a license before employment.
Testing
An ACT, Accuplacer, aptitude test, or trade-specific mathematics requirement.
Program Requirements
The ability to perform the work safely and meet any additional requirements established by the program or employer.
Do not worry if you do not have every document or requirement completed yet. Answer the interest form as accurately as you can so we can better understand your next step.
Ready to See Where the Trades Can Take You?
Complete the apprenticeship interest form and take the first step toward a skilled, respected, and rewarding career.
Complete the Apprenticeship Interest Form
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the apprenticeship application?
No. This is an interest form designed to help identify relevant trades, programs, and next steps. Each apprenticeship program has its own application and selection process.
Do I need construction experience?
No. Apprenticeship is designed to teach you the trade through a combination of paid, on-the-job learning and classroom instruction. Individual programs may have their own entry requirements.
What if I am interested in more than one trade?
That is completely fine. Use the form to indicate the trades that interest you. You can also explore the WBTC trade pages before making a decision.
Can I complete the form if I am under 18?
Yes. The form includes different questions and resources based on age. Some registered apprenticeship programs may accept 17-year-olds, while younger students may be directed toward youth apprenticeship or career-exploration opportunities.
Will I need a diploma, driver’s license, or aptitude test?
Possibly. Requirements vary by program. Some require a high school diploma or equivalent, reliable transportation or a driver’s license, and an aptitude assessment. The interest form helps identify where you currently stand.
What happens after I submit the form?
Your answers will be used to help identify the programs or resources that may be relevant to you. Completing the form does not guarantee admission, employment, or placement in an apprenticeship.
Build Something Bigger. Start With Your Future.
Wisconsin’s union building trades offer a path to paid training, valuable skills, and a lifelong career.
Tell us where you are today, and take the first step toward where you want to go.
Get StartedDownload the Getting Into the Trades Guide
