Wisconsin’s youth apprenticeship program for high school students continues to grow, marking its fifth consecutive year of record-breaking enrollment.

The number of students enrolled in the program during the 2025-26 school year totaled 12,141, a 7% increase from the prior year. In addition, the program partnered with a record 8,105 employers, according to an announcement from Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Workforce Development.

Youth apprenticeship is a one-year or two-year earn-while-you-learn program for high school juniors and seniors, pairing work and related classroom instruction in a chosen occupation. The program implements a dual-training system that combines skills obtained on the job site with technical knowledge in the classroom.

Of the state’s 421 public school districts that have high schools, nearly all offered youth apprenticeships for the 2025-26 school year. Career pathways with the highest participation were health science (2,189 participants), marketing (1,571), manufacturing (1,568), architecture and construction (1,547), and hospitality and tourism (1,402).

Evers earmarked $6 million for the youth apprenticeship program in the state’s 2025-27 biennial budget.

Read more at the BizTimes.