Derek Lawson at Hoodline Milwaukee reports Wisconsin’s Registered Apprenticeship System just delivered another record in 2025, chalking up a fourth straight year of growth as enrollments climbed past 18,500 Apprentices. The surge is pushing employers across the State - from Health Care Systems to Transit Garages - to lean harder on earn-while-you-learn talent pipelines to plug stubborn labor gaps, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, which reports the Registered Apprenticeship Program counted 18,524 Apprentices in 2025, working with more than 3,095 employers. It is the fourth consecutive year the program has set a participation record. The State DWD also opened new Registered Apprenticeship pathways in areas such as Bus And Motor Coach Mechanics, Dental Assisting, Paramedicine and Surgical Technology. State Officials are pitching the expansion as part of a broader strategy to move people into family-supporting careers without requiring immediate college debt. According to the State of Wisconsin, Youth Apprenticeship enrollment hit a record 11,344 high school juniors and seniors in the 2024-2025 school year, a 14% jump from the prior year. The State also reports more than 99% of Public School Districts with a high school now Offer Youth Apprenticeship - and that the program partnered with a record 7,447 employers during the last school year. Officials say that high school pipeline is designed to feed students directly into Registered Apprenticeships or other careers after graduation.

For More On This Apprenticeship And Training Labor News Story, Go To: Apprentice Boom Sweeps Wisconsin As Milwaukee Teens Cash In And ICYMI: Gov. Evers Announces Record High 2025 Registered Apprentice Participation