Supporting apprenticeship growth: Insights from Wisconsin employers

Even as apprenticeship participation in Wisconsin is at record highs, many employers still have limited or no familiarity with state apprenticeship programs. Many also face barriers to creating apprenticeship positions — particularly smaller businesses and those in northwest Wisconsin, where apprenticeship participation lags the rest of the state.

A Wisconsin Policy Forum survey of Wisconsin employers finds that apprenticeships are widely valued as a means of developing skilled workers, and many employers identified roles within their companies that could benefit from an apprenticeship position or pathway. But persistent gaps in apprenticeship program awareness, along with cost and capacity barriers, suggest a need for stronger employer support and partnership development.

Regional differences are evident in the 67 survey responses. While the Wisconsin Policy Forum surveyed employers statewide, over 60% of our responses came from businesses headquartered in the state Department of Workforce Development‘s Workforce Development Area 7, which includes Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and Washburn counties. We emphasized this region in our survey due to its low apprenticeship participation levels relative to the rest of the state.

The survey finds that employers view the primary benefits of apprenticeship programs to be developing skilled workers and filling hard-to-staff positions. Many also indicate that apprenticeships can strengthen internal talent pipelines, improve employee retention and support long-term workforce stability.

Despite strong and growing participation statewide, a majority of the employers we surveyed said they were only “slightly familiar” or “not at all familiar” with each of Wisconsin’s apprenticeship

Programs. Employers experienced with apprenticeship programs were concentrated in the construction and manufacturing industries, which include many occupations with well-established registered apprenticeship pathways.

While employers see clear benefits to apprenticeships, many reported lacking the capacity or support needed to create or maintain apprenticeship positions. The most commonly cited barriers were time, cost and the availability of experienced mentors. Our survey finds that employers in northwest Wisconsin face distinct challenges. and have less awareness of apprenticeship programs, than their counterparts elsewhere.

The report identified actions that state and local workforce development stakeholders may wish to consider to boost apprenticeship participation. These include investing in intermediary organizations to support recruitment and pathway development; strengthening connections between youth and registered apprenticeships, particularly in high-demand occupations; or developing pathways in occupations with strong youth participation but no registered apprenticeship program in the state.

Lastly, financial incentives, such as grants or tax credits, could be modeled on programs in other states. In Mississippi, state grants of up to $1,500 per apprentice are offered to smaller employers. Some states also offer incentives to intermediaries or educational partners such as technical colleges. Notably, financial incentives emerged as a higher priority for employers in northwest Wisconsin, which may reflect, in part, the region’s greater representation of small employers.

This information is a service of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, the state’s leading resource for nonpartisan state and local government research and civic education. Learn more at wispolicyforum.org.