Registered apprenticeship program expansion highlighted at Minnesota Senate Labor Committee hearing

The Minnesota Senate Labor Committee heard an informational briefing Feb. 27 on registered apprenticeship in Minnesota, with testimony from the Department of Labor and Industry and sponsor organizations that run joint apprenticeship and training programs.

Erin Larson, director of Apprenticeship Minnesota at the Department of Labor and Industry, told the committee that registered apprenticeship programs must include five components: employment from day one, structured on-the-job training under a mentor, related instruction (classroom or coursework), progressive wage increases and a nationally recognized credential at completion. "Any registered apprenticeship program that our office approves will include 5 components," Larson said.

Why it matters: speakers said apprenticeship is a proven earn-while-you-learn pathway that yields higher licensure pass rates and steady careers while helping employers build a skilled workforce. Larson highlighted that, on most days, Minnesota has about 11,000 apprentices; in calendar year 2024, about 1,900 apprentices completed programs and roughly 4,000 registered into new programs.

Expansion beyond traditional trades: Larson described recent state-registered programs in early childhood education and teacher apprenticeship as examples of registered apprenticeship outside construction. The department cited additional registrations in manufacturing, agriculture, health care (including medical assistants and surgical technicians) and the hospitality trades (a pastry chef program was cited as a recent addition).

Training outcomes and workplace advantage: Department of Labor and Industry staff compared licensing exam pass rates and showed apprentices outperformed non-apprentice takers in several trades. Larson noted the electrician apprentice pass rate on the licensing exam was about 94% for apprentices versus 76% for non-apprentices, with a particularly large gap on first-attempt pass rates.

Voices from sponsors and apprentices: multiple apprenticeship sponsors and participants described how programs are structured and the outcomes they produce.

- Dr. Michael Favor, superintendent at Intermediate School District 917, and Leah Ward, apprenticeship coordinator at ISD 917, described Minnesota's first registered teacher-apprentice program (special education focus). Favor said the program creates a pathway for paraprofessionals to earn licensure while remaining in their communities.

- John Kornstrom, CEO of the Sheet Metal Air Conditioning and Roofing Contractors Association, and other construction trade representatives emphasized accountability, safety training and portability of skills across employers. Kornstrom said Minnesota's state-administered registered apprenticeship system ensures consistent oversight and graduation outcomes that benefit employers and workers.

- Trainers and apprentices offered personal accounts of how apprenticeship changed their lives. Trevor Ogilvy, now training director for Plumbers and Gasfitters Local 15, summarized his program's five-year apprenticeship model with classroom and hands-on training and said graduates receive state plumbing licenses. Veteran-focused outreach was a recurring theme: several witnesses, including Justin Ross of Minnesota Helmets to Hardhats and IBW electrician and instructor Travis Rust, described programs that help veterans move from military service into registered apprenticeships.

Speakers also urged continued support for pre-employment outreach programs that introduce underrepresented groups to trades and recommend mentoring and affinity groups to support retention, especially for women and others in low-representation cohorts. Barb Pex, a retired carpenter active in Sisters in the Brotherhood (now Siblings in the Brotherhood), credited pre-employment programs and apprenticeship with providing a full career path and mentoring that supported her long-term success.

Funding and employer investment: witnesses said most trade apprenticeship programs are industry-funded. The Minneapolis Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Center and other programs described multi-year curricula, annual safety and first-aid certification requirements, and employer contributions of labor-hours that fund training operations.

Committee response: senators praised apprenticeship as an effective workforce strategy and asked committee staff to consider further informational hearings and continued outreach to raise awareness in high schools and communities. Committee members emphasized apprenticeship's role in building durable career pathways, supporting veterans, and improving licensure pass rates and workplace safety.

Ending note: presenters asked lawmakers to continue supporting registered apprenticeship as a scalable workforce-development tool and to sustain state coordination that preserves program oversight and quality standards.