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Tony Evers, Governor
Caleb Frostman, Secretary

Department of Workforce Development
Secretary's Office
201 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 7946
Madison, WI 53707-7946
Telephone: (608) 266-3131
Fax: (608) 266-1784
Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 25, 2019
CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/news/
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WIWorkforce
On Twitter: @WIWorkforce

Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program Wins 2019 Diversity Award

State Council on Affirmative Action Recognizes Program's Commitment to Support Diversity in Apprenticeships

MADISON - The State Council on Affirmative Action presented the Department of Workforce Development with the 2019 Diversity Award for its Wisconsin Certified Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program today. The Certified Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program was created to provide underrepresented populations opportunities to enter the registered apprenticeship pipeline by gaining meaningful skills, offering exposure to occupational areas, and connecting to available apprenticeships.

"Apprenticeships are a great training tool that allow apprentices to earn a family-supporting wage while learning cutting-edge industry-related skills both on-the-job and inside the classroom," Secretary-Designee Caleb Frostman said. "Connecting underrepresented populations with the skills and benefits gained through an apprenticeship helps change the lives of these individuals and their families."

Certified pre-apprenticeship programs focus on "upskilling" an individual, so they are ready to enter a registered apprenticeship. The pre-apprenticeship program is also endorsed by an apprenticeship sponsor, which can be an individual business, a consortium of businesses or a trade union, that sponsors apprentices in registered apprenticeship. This provides a helpful transition from the pre-apprenticeship into a registered apprenticeship. There are currently 27 certified pre-apprenticeship programs in Wisconsin, with approximately 500 individuals who have completed since 2015. Many of the providers focus on providing opportunities to underrepresented populations.

The Diversity Awards recognize state agencies, universities, and employees for contributions to diversity efforts. The Pre-Apprenticeship Readiness Program was chosen for the 2019 Diversity Award due to the program's strong commitment to providing apprenticeship opportunities and training support for underrepresented populations throughout the state.

For more information about registered apprenticeship in Wisconsin visit WisconsinApprenticeship.org