NOW AVAILABLE! The Full Conversation on the Future of Wisconsin’s Talent Pipeline

Source: Milwaukee Workforce Hub

The Milwaukee Workforce Hub is pleased to release the full interview between WRTP | BIG STEP President & CEO Lindsay Blumer and Wisconsin Policy Forum President Jason Stein and Research Director Joe Peterangelo. This wide-ranging conversation, recorded over Thanksgiving break, dives deep into the current and future state of Wisconsin’s apprenticeship and workforce readiness systems.

This discussion represents the first year of a growing partnership between WRTP | BIG STEP and the Wisconsin Policy Forum, bringing together on-the-ground workforce experience with rigorous policy and labor market research. Together, the conversation explores where Wisconsin’s apprenticeship system is thriving, where gaps remain, and how the state can evolve its talent pipeline to meet a generational workforce challenge.

From Growth to Strategy: What the Research Is Revealing

The conversation begins by reflecting on one of the most encouraging findings from the first Policy Forum report: historic growth in registered apprenticeships across Wisconsin. From there, the discussion shifts into Phase Two of the research, which looks beyond participation alone and places apprenticeship activity in the context of actual job demand.

By comparing apprenticeship participation by region and occupation with projected job openings, the research is helping identify:

• Regions where apprenticeship is well aligned with employer demand
• Regions where demand is high but participation remains low
• Occupations where apprenticeship pathways are strong
• Occupations with high demand and wages that lack pathways altogether

This approach moves the conversation from celebrating growth to asking smarter questions about where and how apprenticeship can have the greatest impact.

Construction Leads, Healthcare Emerges, and New Pathways Are Needed

The interview highlights the continued strength of construction apprenticeships, especially in the pipe trades, where participation closely matches labor demand. Strong employer partnerships, union engagement, and clear training pipelines all contribute to this success.

At the same time, healthcare has emerged as one of the most promising yet complex areas for apprenticeship expansion. Dane County’s work in nursing, medical assisting, pharmacy tech, and other healthcare roles shows what is possible when employers, technical colleges, workforce boards, and the state collaborate closely. These programs require significant investment and coordination, but the potential payoff is substantial given Wisconsin’s aging population and persistent healthcare shortages.

The conversation also reveals a critical insight: many high-demand, middle-wage occupations in Wisconsin still lack apprenticeship pathways, even though such models exist in other states. These include roles in accounting, administration, sales, and frontline supervision, as well as limited or pilot-only programs in education, healthcare, and corrections-related settings.

Why Employers Are Rethinking Apprenticeship

A major thread running through the discussion is the employer perspective. Post-COVID workforce disruptions, ongoing shortages, and burnout among existing staff are forcing employers to reassess traditional hiring strategies.

For many rural manufacturers, schools, and healthcare providers, the most realistic way to fill critical roles is not recruiting from outside the region but developing talent from within the community. Apprenticeship and apprenticeship readiness offer a structured way to upskill existing workers, build loyalty, and stabilize operations, especially where talent competition is fierce.

Access Matters: What the 32-County Finding Tells Us

One of the most striking findings discussed in the interview is that WRTP | BIG STEP participants came from 32 counties across Wisconsin, despite programs being located in only a handful of counties.

This challenges the narrative that people are uninterested in skills training or workforce advancement. Instead, it points to strong statewide demand paired with limited geographic access. If individuals are willing to travel long distances to participate, it raises an important question: how many more would engage if readiness programs were available closer to home?

The conversation makes a compelling case for expanding apprenticeship readiness across regions, not just to meet employer demand, but to ensure equitable access to opportunity.

Redefining Success in a Dynamic Workforce

Another key theme is how success is measured. While conversion from pre-apprenticeship to registered apprenticeship is an important outcome, the speakers caution against defining success too narrowly.

Careers are increasingly non-linear. Some participants move directly into apprenticeship, others enter good jobs outside apprenticeship, and some return to training later as industries evolve. In a dynamic economy shaped by technology, demographic change, and shifting labor needs, adaptability itself becomes a marker of success.

Building a Flexible, Interconnected Apprenticeship Ecosystem

Looking ahead five to ten years, the shared vision is clear: Wisconsin needs a more flexible, dynamic, and interconnected apprenticeship ecosystem. One where employers, educators, workforce boards, policymakers, and training providers collaborate to close gaps between demand and participation, expand pathways in high-need sectors, and use apprenticeship as one of many essential tools to strengthen human capital.

As the conversation underscores, workforce development is not charity. It is a strategic investment in the systems that allow communities to function, businesses to grow, and Wisconsin’s economy to remain competitive.