| Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development News Release | |
|---|---|
| Thursday, January 12, 2006 Governor Jim Doyle Secretary Roberta Gassman |
News Media Contact Rose Lynch 608/266-6753 e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us fax: 608/266-1784 |
Madison - Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today praised the unanimous vote of the Legislative Committee on Workforce Development to increase funding for the state’s Youth Apprenticeship program and move Assembly Bill 228 to the Joint Committee on Finance for consideration.
The state’s Youth Apprenticeship program, administered by DWD, awards grants to local partnerships for local youth apprenticeship programs. These programs, under which employers are recruited to provide on-the-job training and supervision for students, are currently funded with $1,100,000 in general purpose revenues (GPR). AB228 increases the amount appropriated for these grants by $1,400,000 GPR in each of fiscal years 2005−06 and 2006−07. The increased funding is targeted for training and state-required exit testing in the areas of health care and health care technology.
Secretary Gassman said, “The Governor’s Grow Wisconsin: 2005 Agenda called for increased funding for the state’s Youth Apprenticeship program so that we can put our youth on a path toward work that allows them to gain new skills and earn a living. We are very pleased that the Committee on Workforce Development has shown such strong support for Youth Apprenticeship and recognizes the valuable outcomes this program provides for our future workforce. The youth in this state are better served because of Committee has moved this funding forward.”
Wisconsin, like the rest of the nation, is facing a severe shortage of healthcare workers in the coming decades. DWD forecasts Wisconsin's total health care work force will expand by more than 30 percent over the next 10 years.
Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship Program is an effective workforce development strategy and aligns with Governor Jim Doyle’s for recruiting high school age youth into the health care field. This program introduces students to patient care occupations, provides certification in the Nursing Assistant program, and gives them valuable work experience and preparation for further training.
Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship program is a foundational part of a statewide School-to-Work initiative that has earned Wisconsin national recognition as a leader in education reform. It is designed for high school students who want to experience hands on learning at the worksite in conjunction with classroom instruction. This rigorous two year elective program combines academic and technical instruction with mentored on-the-job learning that makes a real world connection for the students.
For more information on Youth Apprenticeship: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dws/programs/ya/default.htm
WHERE: Concourse Hotel
Madison, WI
WHEN: Friday, January 13, 2006
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Note: The media are invited to attend any portion of the conference
Content Contact: Rose Lynch