Republican lawmakers are seeking to change the state’s apprenticeship law to allow skilled workers to supervise two construction apprentices each, rather than just one.
Sen. Chris Kapenga of Delafield, along with Reps. Dave Maxey of New Berlin and Adam Neylon of Pewaukee, recently circulated a co-sponsorship memo for legislation to make this change.
They noted more than 600,000 new skilled construction workers will be needed every year “just to keep up with current demand” and fill jobs left by retiring workers. That projected demand is only expected to rise as the aging Baby Boomer generation shifts out of the workforce.
State officials last year announced the state’s registered apprenticeship program set a new enrollment record with 17,089 apprentices.
But the bill authors say the current 1:1 ratio for journeyworkers to apprentices is limiting the number of participants in construction apprenticeship programs, “especially for small businesses.” That’s been a damper on the industry, they argue, as these apprenticeships last three to five years. The ratio has been in place since 2017, according to the memo.
“We have heard from employers in our districts that are fortunate enough to have four or five individuals interested in becoming apprentices, but the ratio only allows two or three to start the program because they currently are employee apprentices,” authors wrote. “The others either wait until next year or leave the employer or the construction field.”
The memo references Michigan’s approach, where the ratio is 2:1 for plumbing apprentices and 3:1 for electrical apprentices. The state also has no set ratio for other construction apprentices, freeing up workers to supervise multiple apprentices at once.
While the lawmakers note Michigan hasn’t seen higher injury rates associated with the differing apprenticeship rates, they say their bill “would take a more measured approach” by establishing a 2:1 ratio across the board for all construction apprenticeships.
“This legislation will result in more small businesses being able to hire more apprentices that after three to five years will be fully trained to personally address the construction skills gap,” they wrote, adding the bill wouldn’t affect collective bargaining agreements that set their own apprentice ratios.
The memo was circulated just before state officials last week announced Wisconsin set a new record for youth apprenticeships, with 11,344 enrollees during the 2024-25 school year, a 14% increase from the previous year. Of that total, the agriculture and construction pathway had 1,409 youth apprentices, compared to 2,089 in the most popular pathway, health science.
See the memo.
