Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Apprenticeship Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DLI reports growth in apprenticeship and youth training programs; teacher apprenticeships expand
Summary
The Department of Labor and Industry reported about 11,000 active apprentices and roughly 2,000 completions in 2024, noted expansion of teacher apprenticeships and reminded the committee that U Skills grant applications close Feb. 7, 2025.
Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach briefed the Senate Labor Committee on apprenticeship and workforce development programs administered or supported by the Department of Labor and Industry.
Blissenbach said Apprenticeship Minnesota is the state’s apprenticeship authority and that the department currently registers 214 apprenticeship programs with about 11,000 active apprentices. In calendar year 2024 the department recorded nearly 2,000 apprenticeship completions.
The commissioner highlighted growing interest in apprenticeship models outside of the building trades. She said early childhood education and teacher apprenticeship pathways have been piloted: an early childhood apprenticeship began in August 2023 and three teacher-registered apprenticeship programs were started and registered in August 2024; DLI cited 25 student teachers participating across those programs.
Blissenbach also briefed the committee on the U Skills youth training grant program, which supports partnerships between schools and employers for students age 16 and older; the current round of grant applications closes February 7, 2025. She noted recent U Skills and dual training pipeline grant recipients and urged school districts and employers to apply.
The department described the dual training pipeline and noted examples of employer participants in advanced manufacturing, health care and agriculture who have received support to combine related instruction with on-the-job training.
Committee members asked about expanding apprenticeships into other high‑need fields; the commissioner said registered apprenticeship is being used in health care, information technology and early childhood education and that interest continues to grow.
