I attended my first apprenticeship conference. Here's what it was like!

Hi! I'm Megan, WorkHands' customer support lead.

My job at support is to provide assistance to the many users who access our site to track their apprenticeships - from admins, supervisors, apprentices and others. I aim to provide users with a smooth experience while operating the system, answer any questions and take note of any issues.

Beyond the screen

But recently, I realized I wanted -- needed? -- a bit more context for my work behind the screen. I wanted to learn more about what our clients deal with beyond WorkHands and get the full picture of running an apprenticeship.

Our team agreed this was a great idea, and we settled on my attending an apprenticeship conference to get more exposure to a range of topics our clients deal with.

Wisconsin's Biennial Apprenticeship Conference

As luck would have it, we were already planning to attend Wisconsin's Biennial Apprenticeship Conference since we work closely with Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development. So, in mid February, I made the trek to the Wisconsin Dells for my first apprenticeship conference.

Going to an apprenticeship conference, I felt a bit out of my element, but attending the conference really helped me to get a better understanding of what apprenticeship programs are about. It’s nice to hear and see the inner workings of what goes into running a successful apprenticeship and get a deeper understanding of how they work beyond the data and tracking I see day-to-day.

Apprenticeship Conference Topics

The panels at the conference provided me with insight into the specifics of apprenticeship in the state. Apprenticeship details in the U.S. can be pretty state-specific, after all.

State specific sessions

For one, I learned that Wisconsin has the longest running registered apprenticeship system in the United States. I heard a variety of strategies they're employing at the state level to keep up that leadership -- ways to improve the system, provide resources for employers, etc.

On-the-ground sessions

More granularly, I learned a bit about the nuances of running apprenticeships at the ground level. For example, I learned the highest dropout rate in apprenticeships is in an apprentices first year. By focusing on where mentors could find resources to help apprentices with applications, tutorship, etc., a mentorship panel talked about how you could combat this dropout and really impact retention.

In another session, panelists discussed effective strategies to attract and support apprentices from universal communities. Emphasis is on attracting talent from smaller communities who may be easily overlooked (at-risk individuals, such as those recently incarcerated) and providing them with job opportunities once they have rejoined society.

Non-traditional industries

Wisconsin is also interested in expanding their non-traditional apprenticeships to appeal to more people in wider areas, such as trades which might not have had an apprenticeship route originally. In 2024, Wisconsin introduced 4 new Youth Apprenticeship pathways: law enforcement, fire protection, project management, and barbering/cosmetology. They are offered to any junior or senior high school student interested in learning about their chosen trade, alongside their school curriculum.

Working our booth

Not every conference WorkHands attends has booths, but we were lucky to have a booth at this one. This only added to the experience as, in addition to learning from conference panelists, we were able to speak to various programs in the state about how we could make running their programs simpler -- from traditional programs to Wisconsin's specific flavor of youth apprenticeship programs.

Part of what makes any company successful is understanding your clients. What better way to introduce to better understand their needs and how we might be able to help than dozens of conversations over the course of a day or two!

In conclusion

The whole experience -- panels, state sessions, the booth -- provided valuable insights into how WorkHands can meet the needs of ever evolving apprenticeships. It provided an insight into how we factor into the system as a whole. There are so, so many parts to apprenticeships, and we'll continue to focus on impacting our slice to make apprenticeship simpler.

Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention my last bit of advice if you attend an apprenticeship conference. Make sure to get out of the conference room, get out of the hotel and experience the local delicacies. No trip to Wisconsin would be complete without some brats and cheese’ curds! Delicious!

Thanks again Wisconsin!