Dept. of Workforce Development: Launches new statewide youth apprenticeship marketing program

Contact: DWD Communications
608-266-2722

Madison, Wisconsin – Today, Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Ray Allen joined officials from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Waunakee Community School District and other key partners at Widen Enterprises to launch a new Youth Apprenticeship (YA) Marketing program.
 

“Under Governor Walker, Wisconsin is investing in our future workforce and expanding programs like Youth Apprenticeship, which provide high school students with in-demand skills and a viable career pathway,” Secretary Allen said. “This new Marketing program adds to the number of opportunities that are available to today’s youth as they prepare to enter Wisconsin’s workforce.”
 

Responding to industry demand, the new YA Marketing program is the result of successful collaboration between DWD, DPI and the Dane County YA consortium. After a year of development and pilot testing, the new marketing pathway is being rolled out statewide to benefit Wisconsin’s high school juniors and seniors.  Partners contributed staff time and expertise to develop the curriculum and implement the program without incurring additional costs.
 

Today’s launch featured remarks from DWD Secretary Allen, DPI Assistant Director of Career and Technical Education Sara Baird, and Waunakee Community School District Superintendent Randy Guttenberg. Remarks were followed by a panel discussion featuring the YA experiences of employers, students and educators. 
 

In June, Governor Walker announced $3.9 million in Youth Apprenticeship grant awards for the 2017-2018 school year, providing more than 4,300 high school juniors and seniors with the ability to gain relevant work experiences prior to graduation, immediately strengthening our future workforce.
 

The YA program is administered by DWD with funds awarded to local consortiums that work with employers and high schools to pair students up with an employer. The participating students are enrolled in academic classes while they are employed and receive hands-on instruction from a mentor.
 

The Marketing program is Wisconsin’s 11th YA program offering and the first new program pathway developed in three years. Other program areas include Agriculture, Food, and natural Resources, Architecture and Construction, Art, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications, Finance, Health Science, Hospitality and Tourism, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics.
 

To learn more about the Department of Workforce Development’s Youth Apprenticeship program, visit: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/youthapprenticeship/
 

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