Wisconsin Building Trades Council Executive Director Emily Pritzkow recently penned an Apprenticeship Labor Perspective that appeared in Wisconsin’s Daily Reporter, which read, in part: 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. 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. In addition to saving taxpayers money, the quantity and quality of the Apprentices coming out of these programs are clear to the entire country.

To Read Pritzkow’s Apprenticeship Labor Perspective In Its Entirety, Go To: Union apprenticeships lead way in mentorship and workforce development