State Representative Loren Oldenburg on Wisconsin Apprenticeship Week

Editorial Column by Representative Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua)

November 6, 2023

The Youth Apprenticeship Program is something I’ve advocated for since being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2018. As a fourth generation farmer, I understand the importance of agriculture and other skilled trade professions. Since I have been in office, I have authored various pieces of legislation to help strengthen this program and make it more accessible to students.

In 2019 I authored my first bill involving the Youth Apprenticeship Program, Assembly Bill 57. This bill would have increased the appropriation for grants through the program in 2018-2019 and created an appropriation to develop apprenticeship curriculum in 2019-2021. Unfortunately, Assembly Bill 57 did not make it through the legislature. In 2021, I introduced Assembly Bills 932, 973, and 220. Assembly Bill 932 would have required Governor Evers to use at least $20 million of the federal funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act to expand and promote the Youth Apprenticeship Program. Assembly Bill 973 made changes to the Youth Apprenticeship Program by creating incentive grants, completion awards, and allowing exceptions for expenses related to apprenticeship costs.

Neither Assembly Bill 932 nor 973 were passed by the legislature and approved by Governor Evers. However, Assembly Bill 220 was successfully signed into law. Before this bill’s passage, state statute provided that student report cards should be accompanied by a list of outside educational opportunities available in the student’s school district. Assembly Bill 220 added the Youth Apprenticeship Program to this list of opportunities for high school students. This includes public high schools, charter high schools, and private high schools.

This session, I worked closely with Representative Petryk to create a budget recommendation for the Youth Apprenticeship Program. Our recommendation included an additional $3 million dollars in 2024 and another $4 million dollars in 2025 for program funding. The Joint Finance Committee voted in favor of Representative Petryk and I’s proposal, adding $7 million in program funding this biennium.

While legislation and funding through the state budget is important, I feel some recognition is in order for our state’s apprentices who make this program possible. I am pleased to share that I recently introduced an Assembly Joint Resolution which proclaims November 13^th to 19^th as Wisconsin Apprenticeship Week. Wisconsin was one of the first states to create a youth apprenticeship program, and apprenticeship in Wisconsin has expanded to nearly every industry. My hope is that each November, this week will help raise awareness for this career pathway and show current apprentices how much we appreciate their efforts.