The Apprenticeship Revival
August 6, 2026
The past 2025-26 school year was a milestone marker for the Badger State. For the first time ever, single-year youth apprenticeship participation soared past the 12,000-student mark — the most in the United States. That’s also a 7% increase over the previous year, which had been the state record.
Those Wisconsin youths contributed to what was also the fourth consecutive record-breaking year for the state’s overall apprenticeship initiative — comprising the Youth Apprenticeship (YA), Certified Pre-Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs — which saw more than 18,500 total participants.