Any resident of the state of Wisconsin over the age of 16 is eligible to apply for an apprenticeship according to state law. Most employers prefer the apprentice to have completed high school. High school courses important for a successful apprenticeship include reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Shop courses can also be helpful. Work experience also helps show prospective employers the applicant s capabilities and interest in the apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships can be as short as two years for some occupations.
Successful employers realize that a sound apprenticeship program is not merely a cost but also an investment in the future of their industries. Experience indicates that apprentices are motivated, learn their jobs faster, attain craftworker status sooner and are more likely to become supervisors than workers trained in other ways. In Wisconsin the apprentice is paid a salary while learning. The employer may also pay all required schooling costs. The rate of pay during the apprenticeship averages 60 percent of the salary a skilled worker would earn in that occupation.