Preparing Wisconsin's future workforce

I had the opportunity this week to attend an orientation to Dane County's Youth Apprenticeship program. High school students in the program are given the chance to work in a field of their interest--for pay--and take specialized classes, often at a tech school.

The program will be featured in a television show called "Blueprint" that Wisconsin Public Television is producing with our partner, the Educational Communications Board (ECB). It will feature the ways that science, technology, engineering and math, collectively called STEM, are being taught in new, applied methods throughout the state.

In the youth apprentice program, high school students can work in health care, automotive tech, information technology and biotechnology, among several other fields. It's an opportunity to make real world use of their education while developing new skills and good work habits.

The television program, planned for broadcast in the fall, will be the third in a series of "Blueprint" specials. You can watch the previous two by clicking on these links: Blueprint: Designing Wisconsin's Future and Blueprint for Tomorrow's Education (produced by Milwaukee Public Television and ECB).