During eight years as lieutenant governor of this great state, I was called Wisconsin’s “Jobs Ambassador.” It was a role I proudly served, because as we grew Wisconsin’s economy, it was necessary to promote the many excellent opportunities available to our workers, including many of the careers highlighted in this magazine.
Today, I am proud to partner with Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin on the “Building Wisconsin Jobs Project,” a new push to invigorate and strengthen the effort to recruit and train a well-paid Wisconsin construction workforce.
As part of this effort, I’ve been documenting the lives of individuals who have chosen construction as a career path and how that has changed their lives. These amazing stories are highlighted in ABC of Wisconsin’s micro-video series called Money Jobs. If you watch the series, you’ll realize why we called it Money Jobs. In one episode, a young, female apprentice shares her emotional story about how her construction career will allow her to buy her mom a home in the near future. In other episodes, the owner of an HVAC firm explains how his career path provided him with so many great options and how construction apprentices are able to buy nice cars and trucks even before graduating.
Unfortunately, too many high school graduates won’t have these opportunities because they will opt to attend a four-year university instead, believing it’s their “best” option for financial security. This may be best for some, but costly for many others. According to a study by LendEDU, the average student loan debt per borrower in Wisconsin is almost $30,000, which results in years of debt payments, especially for many college graduates who are underemployed relative to the investment in their careers.
Compare this to the apprenticeship model. Apprenticeship tuition with Associated Builders and Contractors is only $2,000 per year (including books and administrative fees) and apprentices get paid while they learn in their three- to five-year programs. They learn on the job most days and in the classroom about one day every two weeks. According to the Wisconsin Technical College System Apprenticeship Salary Report, new graduates completing their apprenticeships in construction crafts have a median salary of $87,000 in our state.
Apprentices, meanwhile, graduate with essentially no education-related debt and many are able to secure home ownership and build cash reserves before they even graduate. They work with their hands and with new technology to build tangible things that provide a strong sense of accomplishment. In addition, construction craftsmen and craftswomen have opportunities to climb into management positions and many become their own bosses after starting their own companies.
Considering the high-market demand which comes with Wisconsin’s 200,000 current construction job openings, there has never been a better time to consider what construction has to offer. Learn more about ABC’s micro-video series and the stories of individuals who are succeeding in the construction industry at abcwi.org/moneyjobs.