National Apprenticeship Week comes to Wisconsin in 2026

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National Apprenticeship Week, a federal effort to promote recruitment and training in critical industries, took place the week of April 26 with different events across Wisconsin.

“As part of its continuing commitment to American workers and employers, and our efforts to reach our goal of 1 million apprentices, the U.S. Department of Labor is excited to formally announce its expansive plans for National Apprenticeship Week 2026,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer in a statement.

The Department of Labor started National Apprenticeship Week in 2015. Since then, more than 2 million people participated in more than 10,000 national events and more than 3,250 proclamations were issued in support of Registered Apprenticeship.

In Wisconsin, the state Registered Apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship programs have seen record participation from apprentices and employers.

This week, union promoter Building Advantage on Tuesday will host its annual career fair with dozens of contractors, subcontractors and unions at American Family Field in Milwaukee. With 1,300 high school students registered, it’s expected to be one of the biggest construction career fairs in the state.

Apprenticeship week included events across the state

Bob Barker, president of the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, on April 29 spoke at JP Cullen’s apprenticeship appreciation event at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Fort Atkinson.

The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 between April 28 and April 30 invited students, parents, educators and counselors to learn about operating engineer careers for Externship Day at the union training center in Coloma.

The three-day event included a tour of the 400-acre training center, an overview of Local 139 apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship through Destinations Career Academy and youth apprenticeship, according to the DOL. The union held a panel with local contractors and had hands-on activities with simulators and mini excavators.

At Madison College, 18 future electricians signed with signatory contractors and unions at the college’s Commercial Avenue campus. They signed with members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 159, National Electrical Contractors Association contractors and members of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

According to Lightcast, the demand for electricians in the Madison College district is expected to grow by nearly 8% by 2030.

Contractor association celebrates apprentices who won gold in national contest

In spring, Owen Spitz, a carpentry apprentice at Milwaukee-based AMCS, Inc. took home a gold medal after competing in the ABC National Craft Championship.

AMCS, Inc. produced three apprentices who won the state skills competition in the last three years, said Laura Kocum, spokeswoman for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin. Two won gold in the national competition in 2025 and 2026.

ABC-WI highlighted apprentices on social media throughout National Apprenticeship Week and toured the construction campus at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay.

The association is also building a 36,000-square-foot training center near its headquarters in Madison. The project is expected to open in the fall for HVAC, electrical and plumbing training, Kocum said.

The association trains more than 2,600 apprentices in 12 different trades.