Wisconsin Apprenticeship System

Are you looking to enter the trades or technical fields through an apprenticeship program in Wisconsin? Here's your brief guide to accessing the Wisconsin Apprenticeship System.

This past Sunday (6/13/21), an article appearing in the Business section of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel written by Ricardo Torres focused on Wisconsin's system of apprenticeships. In short, the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has obtained grant funding to support the hiring of five "apprenticeship navigators," whose sole job is to match those who are interested with various apprenticeship opportunities across the state.

You can read the full article by Torres appearing in the Journal Sentinel on 6/13/21 by clicking here. The article does a great job of getting answers from the DWD based on a list of key questions posed by Journal Sentinel staff.

Below are the names and contact information for these navigators, taken from the article. Four of the five are serving residents in specific counties, while the remaining one is serving former inmates anywhere in the state. 

 

Jessica Gitter

Counties served: Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Monroe, Racine, Trempealeau, Walworth, Vernon. 

Contact info: jessica.gitter@dwd.wisconsin.gov; 262-894-5624.

 

Dawn Pratt

Counties served: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Washington, Waukesha, Waushara, Winnebago.

Contact info: dawn.pratt@dwd.wisconsin.gov; 414-216-4926.

 

Jessica Williams

Counties served: Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Calumet, Door, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Menomonee, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Portage, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Shawano, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn, Waupaca, Wood.

Contact info: jessicae.williams@dwd.wisconsin.gov; 920-404-6877.

Jeff Kennedy

Counties served: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Marquette, Richland, Rock, Sauk.

Contact info: jkennedy@wdbscw.org; 608-249-9001 x. 230.

 

Milton Rogers

Counties served: Works with former Department of Corrections (DOC) inmates statewide.

Contact info: miltonj.rogers@wisconsin.gov.

 

If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy the following posts from this blog:

The real purpose of K-12 education 

Description: "We have to realize that K-12 education should be about preparing students for life, not university, and that some of the greatest, most rewarding career opportunities out there can be found in the vast vocational/trades/technical college realm."

Technical college scholarships

Exploring careers in the trades

Manufacturing and the trades in schools

Description: "A look at the return of manufacturing and the trades in schools and in conversations."