Dive Brief:
- The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Dec. 7 announced a new apprenticeship program for students and recent graduates interested in human resources. The Rise apprenticeship program provides training on the human resources platform Workday, and is offered by the university and Helios Consulting, a Workday advisory partner.
- Those enrolled in the program will be paid Helios employees and will have opportunities to find jobs with Helios’ clients after their apprenticeship, according to a news release.
- "As demand for technology skills continues to grow across the region, UWM has a unique opportunity to solve two challenges at once: creating new pathways to high-wage jobs for our community, while also addressing a growing need for workers with those tech skills," UWM Provost Scott Gronert said in a news release. "Together with Helios, we're helping to address one of the most critical talent gaps faced by Wisconsin employers, and enabling our students and graduates to gain the skills that translate to success in today's increasingly tech-driven labor market."
Dive Insight:
Apprenticeships, long known to be the domain of manufacturing and trades, are becoming more common in white-collar industries, such as tech.
From 2011 to 2020, the number of registered apprentices grew 70%, according to a report by Jobs for the Future. The number of youth in apprenticeship programs increased by 113% from 2010 to 2020, the report found.
Despite gains in the number of young apprentices, wage equity has remained a problem, especially among women and Black apprentices, the report found.
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor made $87.5 million in grants available to expand registered apprenticeships across the country. Of that, $40 million was directed to help states improve DEI efforts.
Efforts also are being made to use apprenticeships as a way to give workers with disabilities more opportunities.
