OSHKOSH, Wis.- Patti Andresen -Shew is the director of education and workforce development for the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce. She says she understand the importance of an apprenticeship at a young age.
"It's the best long term recruitment activity that an employer can get involved with," said Andresen-Shew.
The program is very similar to adult programs. Students work with employers to learn skills and many times they end up working with that company after school.
"Ninety percent of students that are in this program are either extended an offer... and if they're a junior and decide to do it their senior year they youth apprenticeship is offered for a second year," said Andresen-Shew.
Students may work between 10 and 20 hours a week, possibly more during the summer.
"It's very intense, students are required to do 450 hours of paid work," said Oshkosh Area School District director of curriculum and assessment, Julie Mosher.
Apprenticeships can be in a variety of fields including:
Agriculture, architecture and construction, arts and communications, finance, health science, hospitality, information technology, manufacturing, engineering and math, and transportation and logistics.
"It would be our hope that we could get all students to have such an intense quality experience," said Mosher.
All of these apprenticeships are paid either minimum wage or more and students go through a rigorous interview process before being hired.
