Students and those aspiring to work in health care in south-central Wisconsin will have more opportunities to participate in apprenticeships, thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The federal government awarded more than $285 million through two grant programs to help support apprenticeship programs in growing U.S. industries, according to a release from the White House last month.
The Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin received $4 million for building out their health care apprenticeship programs.
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As director of development at the Workforce Development Board, Becky Kikkert led the effort to apply for the grant money. She told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” that the funding will allow them to serve more than 400 individuals who might not otherwise be able to afford the education they need to enter the health care field.
“An individual can have a family at home, go to school at one of their area technical colleges … and also work and earn a wage,” said Kikkert.
The $4 million will help expand access to three existing registered apprenticeship programs offered through Madison College, in partnership with SSM Health and UW Health: registered nurse, medical assistant and respiratory therapist. It will also fund a new surgical technologist apprenticeship.
Bridgett Willey leads UW Health’s apprenticeship programs. She told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” their apprenticeship programs are aimed at people who face a variety of barriers to entering the health care field.
“Part of what this grant will also pay for is an allocation of some funding support for … things like transportation, uniforms, books, child care and other costs that happen as you live life and pursue your education,” Willey said. “We also provide tutoring support and extra skills support.”
Autumn Irby is a registered nurse apprentice at UW Health. She told WPR about how the program has allowed her to pursue her career goals.
“I chose to apply to the program because I’ve always wanted to pursue nursing, a career centered on supporting the community and making positive impacts on individuals on a daily basis,” Irby said. “This program allowed me to embark on this journey without the obstacles that had hindered me from doing so.”
Bridgett Willey said that UW Health has also seen tangible benefits to offering apprenticeships as an employer.
“What we’ve seen is … we have increased loyalty to staying with UW Health as an employer because they see additional opportunities to develop,” Willey said. “We’ve also seen a decrease in turnover, and a decrease in our vacancy rates in a lot of the areas where we have established programs.”
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin helped write the bipartisan bill that funds the grants.
Baldwin told WPR in a statement, “The demand for skilled workers is only increasing, and it’s why I’m fighting to increase access to apprenticeships and technical education so more workers can land good paying jobs and participate in our ‘Made in Wisconsin’ economy.”
To learn more about apprenticeship opportunities in south central Wisconsin, visit wdbscw.org/apprenticeships.
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