Evers pledges $190 million for state workforce momentum

Gov. Tony Evers announced at his fifth State of the State Address on Tuesday he wanted to invest $190 million to strengthen the state’s workforce after Wisconsin boasted a record number of apprentices last year. The governor also mentioned work on the state’s roads and highlighted the state’s Clean Energy Program, which includes potential changes for the construction industry moving forward.

The governor announced he wanted to invest $10 million into expanding clean energy job training and opening access for new workers to come into a clean energy workforce, as part of the Clean Energy Plan released in April of 2022. The plan would be a “blueprint” for job training apprenticeships for innovative industries and technologies, it would create around 40,000 jobs by 2030, Evers added.

“Finally, our state’s Clean Energy Plan provides a blueprint for skills training, apprenticeships, and creating good-paying, family-supporting jobs by investing in new, innovative industries and technologies,” Ever said. “So, we’re also going to invest nearly $10 million into expanding clean energy job training and reemployment and reducing barriers for folks joining our clean energy workforce.”

Two-thirds of clean energy jobs are in construction and manufacturing and those jobs are making up a larger share of total energy sector employment, the Clean Energy Plan document released last spring showed. Wind service turbine technicians and solar photovoltaic installers were in the top three fastest growing occupations of the clean energy sector, the report added.

Wisconsin’s clean energy plan included changes for construction of new buildings to make them emissions-free or more efficient. Measures included revisions to the current state building code, developing plans to hire workers for incoming construction projects and a tax credit for developers to integrate sustainability in future housing construction projects.

Evers highlighted the state’s record number of apprentices, which reached more than 15,000 in October.

“We had record-high job numbers in 2022 in key sectors like construction, wholesale trade, professional, scientific, and technical services, and transportation and utilities,” the governor said. “Our Registered Apprenticeship program last year had the highest number of participants ever in state history. And last year, we added 14 new career pathways to our Youth Apprenticeship program in construction, agriculture, health sciences, and science and engineering.

Early in his speech, Evers said the state worked to “fix the darn roads” as crews fixed 5,800 miles of roads and nearly 1,600 bridges across the state. In the latest Legislative Fiscal Bureau report on state agency budget requests, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation asked for $167,714,300 to build and fix large highways and build its administrative facilities. In previous months, Evers’ office announced the state would have $6.5 million in surplus funds by the end of the biennium.

The governor said he wanted to work with the Legislature on a budget provision to send 20% of the state’s sales tax revenue to local communities, which would go to transportation alongside EMS, fire and law enforcement services.

“This commitment will ensure our communities will see growth in shared revenue in the future after years of state investment not keeping up with our communities’ needs,” Evers said. “And it means more than half a billion dollars more per year in new resources to invest in key priorities like EMS, fire, and law enforcement services, transportation, local health and human services, and other challenges facing our communities.”

Rep. LaKeshia Myers, who represents the 12th Assembly District in Milwaukee, praised the governor’s transportation investments.

“Governor Evers came armed with receipts tonight; receipts that show he has made good on many of the promises he made during his first term in office,” Myers said in a statement. “By investing in Wisconsin’s roads and infrastructure, 5,800 miles of thoroughfare and nearly 1,600 bridges are safer for Wisconsinites’ daily passage.”