Building Wisconsin’s Future: How Union Apprenticeships Lead the Way in Mentorship and Workforce Development
By Emily Pritzkow, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Building Trades Council
As we bid farewell to January, we also say goodbye to National Mentorship Month. With that in mind, it’s a perfect time to highlight the pivotal role of union apprenticeship in shaping Wisconsin’s workforce. Our training programs are built on a belief in the human connection of mentorship – the enduring idea that working side-by-side with an experienced tradesperson is the best way to learn a craft, and pass skilled work down through generations. Best of all, the programs we have in Wisconsin are so successful, we have set the national standard for training the workforce of the future and do it all with zero burden on taxpayers.
A Legacy of Mentorship and Excellence
For centuries, apprenticeships have been the gold standard for hands-on learning. The ability to work with an expert is a proven pathway to learning your trade. By the early 1900s, Wisconsin took a leadership role in formalizing these programs. In 1911, Wisconsin enacted the nation’s first apprenticeship law, setting a precedent that would influence federal apprenticeship standards in the years to come.
Union-Funded Apprenticeships: A Commitment to Community
Discussing apprenticeships in Wisconsin is impossible without acknowledging one of the lesser-known yet critical aspects of the system. The vast majority of apprenticeship training investments in Wisconsin’s construction workforce come from joint labor-management programs. These programs are cooperatively administered by labor unions and signatory employers, underscoring the unions’ and their contractors’ unwavering belief in apprenticeships.
This funding model ensures that the development of skilled labor is primarily supported by the unions and their employer partners, meaning taxpayers don’t have to direct any money toward these programs.
Economic Impact and Workforce Development
In addition to saving taxpayers money, the quantity and quality of the apprentices coming out of these programs are clear to the entire country.
With regard to quantity, our programs are keeping pace with the volume of interest in apprenticeships, simultaneously addressing the skills gap and contributing to the state’s economic vitality. For quality, the journeyworkers coming out of our programs are highly sought experts across the nation for their skills.
Moreover, individuals who complete union apprenticeship programs earn higher wages. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, construction workers from joint labor-management apprenticeship programs earned exit wages of $38 per hour, while those from employer-only programs earned $25 per hour. This earning potential signifies a robust return on investment for participants and underscores the value of union apprenticeships as a pathway to stable, well-paying careers. In addition to high hourly wages, unionized workers in the trades earn top family health insurance coverage and a secure, well-funded retirement.
A Model for the Nation
Wisconsin’s success with its apprenticeship model has not gone unnoticed. The state’s early adoption and refinement of the program have served as a blueprint for national standards. The foundational principles established in Wisconsin influenced the development of the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937, which formalized apprenticeship programs across the United States.
The Power Of Mentorship
As we close out National Mentorship Month, it’s the perfect time to pause and appreciate the profound impact of the Registered Apprenticeship Program in Wisconsin. Our unions’ national leadership exemplifies the essence of mentorship and demonstrates a successful model of workforce development that benefits individuals, industries, and the broader community. And, behind this success is the commitment of the building trades unions to fund and support these apprenticeships, ensuring Wisconsin remains a state with a full pipeline of skilled workers, ready to build Wisconsin’s future.
