Youth Apprenticeship Experiences in Wisconsin: A Stakeholder-Based Evaluation

Introduction State and federal policy makers, as well as the general public, are undeniably clear about the need to improve the transition from high school to postsecondary learning and to a world of meaningful work. Three-fourths of American youth do not receive four-year college degrees (Parnell, 1991). Yet they are expected to possess the critical thinking, problem-solving, technical and team skills required of adults at work in today's economy. Less clear, however, is the means to achieve one of public education's primary goals--helping all students transition into productive and career oriented work lives. The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 provided seed money to states and their local partnerships of business, labor, government, education, and community organizations to develop school-to-work systems. These systems, which integrate school- and work-based learning experiences, are seen as a crucial component of an educational system geared toward preparing America's youth for high wage, high-skill careers. In addition, Goals 2000 legislation connects School-to-Work with systemic reform by stating that every adult American will be literate and able to compete in a global economy. Youth Apprenticeship, one piece of this larger system-building effort, attempts to bolster this transition between secondary education and careers. Apprentices "learn by doing" in paid employment and train closely with an experienced mentor, while classroom experiences connect with and enhance workplace skill development. Students who complete the two-year program receive a state certificate of occupational proficiency. However, education policymakers are challenged to develop youth apprenticeship programs with few existing domestic models. To date, apprenticeship in the US has been the domain of the professional crafts and trades. Prior to the mid-1990s, apprentice-like programs for secondary students included a patchwork of diverse programs (e.g., Job Corps, career education, and cooperative education) that reflected the decentralized nature of US public education (Hamilton, 1990). However, the future success of youth apprenticeship programs may also lie in the strength of this decentralized system. As Hamilton (1990) noted, the United States' decentralized economic and education systems result in a variety of local approaches and designs to school-to-work programs, including youth apprenticeship. This diversity and experimentation strengthens the viability of youth apprenticeship programs in a society that values, and indeed desires, academic education, economic opportunity, and the connection between the two. Based on the strength of its Tech Prep and newly developed Youth Apprenticeship programs, Wisconsin was one of eight states to receive the first round of School-to-Work implementation grants in 1994. Beginning in their junior year of high school, Wisconsin youth apprentices are paid for 10-15 hours per week of work, take four semesters of apprenticeship related classes, and complete their academic high school program. Wisconsin's first apprenticeship began in printing in September 1992, has since produced 125 graduates, and has grown to serve over 900 students in 11 different program (industry) areas. This study presents findings from our evaluation of the quality of Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship Program from the perspectives of key stakeholders: students, parents, instructors, and employers. The evaluation offers a unique opportunity for those states and localities designing and implementing youth apprenticeship programs to learn from Wisconsin's experience. In this study of stakeholder experiences, we address three key questions: 1. To what extent does the Youth Apprenticeship Program provide rigorous and integrated school- and work-based educational experiences? 2. In what ways does the Youth Apprenticeship Program enhance the learning experiences and career opportunities of apprentices? …