106.13 Youth apprenticeship program.

(1) The department may provide a youth apprenticeship program. If the department provides that program, the program may include under that program the grant program under sub. (3m).

(2) The council on workforce investment established under 29 USC 2821, the technical college system board, and the department of public instruction shall assist the department in providing the youth apprenticeship program under sub. (1).

(2m) The department shall approve occupations and maintain a list of approved occupations for the youth apprenticeship program. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (a), the department shall develop curricula for youth apprenticeship programs for occupations approved under this subsection.

(3) The youth apprenticeship program under sub. (1) shall not affect any apprenticeship program that is governed by subch. I, except that an apprenticeship program that is governed by subch. I may grant credit toward the completion of an apprenticeship for the successful completion of a youth apprenticeship under sub. (1).

(3m)

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Local partnership" means one or more school districts, or any combination of one or more school districts, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, or other persons, who have agreed to be responsible for implementing and coordinating a local youth apprenticeship program.

1r. “Nonprofit organization" means a nonstock corporation under ch. 181 that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17).

2. “Public agency" means a county, city, village, town, school district or technical college district or an agency of this state or of a county, city, village, town, school district or technical college district.

(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (e), the department may award grants to applying local partnerships for the implementation and coordination of local youth apprenticeship programs. A local partnership shall include in its grant application the identity of each public agency, nonprofit organization, individual, and other person who is a participant in the local partnership, a plan to accomplish the implementation and coordination activities specified in subds. 1. to 6., and the identity of a fiscal agent who is responsible for receiving, managing, and accounting for the grant moneys received under this paragraph. Subject to par. (c), a local partnership that is awarded a grant under this paragraph may use the grant moneys awarded for any of the following implementation and coordination activities:

1. Recruiting employers to provide on-the-job training and supervision for youth apprentices and providing technical assistance to those employers.

2. Recruiting students to participate in the local youth apprenticeship program and monitoring the progress of youth apprentices participating in the program.

3. Coordinating youth apprenticeship training activities within participating school districts and among participating school districts, postsecondary institutions and employers.

4. Coordinating academic, vocational and occupational learning, school-based and work-based learning and secondary and postsecondary education for participants in the local youth apprenticeship program.

5. Assisting employers in identifying and training workplace mentors and matching youth apprentices and mentors.

6. Any other implementation or coordination activity that the department may direct or permit the local partnership to perform.

(c) A local partnership that is awarded a grant under par. (b) may not use any of the grant moneys awarded to provide funding to a business that is operated for profit or to a nonprofit organization that represents business interests.

(d) The amount of a grant awarded under par. (b) may not exceed $900 per youth apprentice. A local partnership that is awarded a grant under par. (b) shall provide matching funds equal to 50 percent of the grant amount awarded.

(e) The following outcomes are expected of a local youth apprenticeship program that is funded under par. (b):

1. At least 80 percent of the youth apprentices who participate in the program for 2 years must receive a high school diploma on completion of the youth apprenticeship.

2. At least 60 percent of the youth apprentices who participate in the program for 2 years must be offered employment by the employer that provided the on-the-job training for the youth apprentice on completion of the youth apprenticeship.

(5) The department shall promulgate rules to administer this section.

History: 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 339, 399, 437, 491; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3703 to 3712, 9130 (4), 9145 (1); Stats. 1995 s. 106.13; 1997 a. 3, 27, 79; 1999 a. 9 ss. 2016 to 2024, 2068; 2001 a. 16; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25; 2009 a. 291; 2015 a. 55, 348; 2017 a. 370.