The Daily Reporter: Wisconsin bill looks to expand apprentice to journey worker ratio

The construction industry needs hundreds of thousands of new workers to meet the anticipated demand for services. As an aging skilled workforce readies for retirement, that demand is only expected to grow. In 2024, Wisconsin boasted 17,452 apprentices and apprenticeship contracts in the state have steadily increased since 2012, data from the DWD showed. There were 81% more apprentices in 2024 than 2012, data showed.

The bill was drafted shortly after the DWD announced Wisconsin saw 11,344 youth apprentices enrolled in the 2024-25 school year, which is a 14% increase from last year. Of those apprentices, 1,409 were in agriculture and construction trades.

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