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July 7, 2025
WAUSAU – Though Northcentral Technical College’s (NTC) youth apprenticeship (YA) program has taken on many names since its inception in 1991, Lauren Foley – manager of student recruitment at NTC – said it has always served the same purpose.
“It’s been a long-standing program that’s been growing since its inception 34 years ago,” she said. “The idea of work-based learning has been around for a very long time, and whether we call it youth apprenticeship or work-based learning, youth options or school to work, I think the idea that students get experience in the latter half of their high school years has deep roots.”
Foley said it has been her personal passion to see students grow.
“Many of us are helpers and doers and want to support people along the way,” she said. “For me, youth apprenticeship is just one facet of my role, but it’s a blessing to see what is in front of me and what the future holds for these students.”
Foley said the YA program works with many industries, one of which happens to be right in the college’s backyard.
“We actually had a recent event with Miron Construction Company,” she said. “They are building our Marathon County Regional Forensic Science Center.”
Two NTC YA students, Foley said, helped create and build the structure and “will now be registered apprentices.”
“We got a preview of that building – which is not yet open to the public – and got to see the two students, who are graduating seniors, put their hard hats on and say, ‘yes, I did this – I did this project,’” she said.
Kelsi Seubert, marketing and public relations manager at NTC, said the college focuses on providing those tools for students to make their way in the workplace.
“At the heart of what we do is to make sure all students have equal access to educational opportunities,” she said. “We’re serving all learners, enabling them to create a brighter future for themselves. Youth apprenticeship is one tool in the toolbox that we can give to learners who find success and belonging in the workplace.”
More about the program
In order to participate in NTC’s YA program, Foley said students need to be in good academic standing.
“This generally means that students need to be passing their classes or making progress to do well,” she said.
During the program, Foley said the program combines on-the-job training and related classroom instruction – with a support system all along the way.
Students, she said, work with a mentor of sorts who helps onboard them and checks in on them, guiding them through the entire experience.
Usually, Foley said, the mentor is the student’s direct supervisor or someone connected to the department, depending on the role and the employer.
Not only does the program provide students with skill development, Foley said it also provides students with an opportunity to figure out what they don’t like, too.
“Students need to try things – all of us need to try things,” she said. “We absolutely have students who try things for that year, or students even change during the year, because that job or customer service experience wasn’t for them. For example, maybe metals manufacturing simply was not for them. There are many different skills that you bring to a role and that you need to learn. And if it’s not a match, it’s not a match.”
For many of these students, Foley said this is their first role in any professional workplace.
“Obtaining that next level of experience in customer service, for example, is a learning curve,” she said.
The overall goal of the program, Foley said, is that by the time students complete the program and graduate high school, they are prepared to transition into full-time employment or further their education with a strong foundation of knowledge and experience.
Case in point
Foley said Peoples State Bank hires a lot of YA students in the community.
“I really appreciate that they hire from many of our (area) schools,” she said.
At Peoples State Bank, Foley said YA students gain hands-on training in the financial industry, preparing them for potential careers in banking and finance.
Most of the students currently working for Peoples State Bank, she said, have or are taking classes through their high schools related to finance – such as personal finance, economics, intro to business, accounting and financial math – and the YA program provides an opportunity for students to put that learning into practice and see it in action in the real world.
Foley said the YA program also emphasizes the importance of professionalism and workplace readiness.
In addition to industry-specific skill building, she said students are encouraged to develop time management skills, maintain a strong work ethic and understand the expectations of a professional setting.
Over the years, Foley said Peoples State Bank has hired a number of high school students who went through the YA program to work at the bank full-time after graduating.
Foley said one such example of this is Scott Staszak, talent acquisition manager for Peoples State Bank.
“He participated in a version of the youth apprenticeship program,” she said.
Staszak has been with Peoples State Bank for 17 years – a testament, Foley said, to work-based learning.
“That is exactly why he and his team have continued to reinvest in the community and into these students,” she said. “They will see the fruits of their efforts as these students will go on to be future leaders in finance, accounting, business, banking – you name it – whether that’s continuing with (their industry) or other industries.”
Jen Cassell – senior human resource generalist at Peoples State Bank – said she was also a part of the youth apprenticeship program beginning at the end of her junior year and through her senior year of high school, along with her classmate, Staszak.
Cassell said the lessons she learned on the job in the apprenticeship program were invaluable 17 years ago, and still provide great value today.
“We learned how to communicate effectively and felt more comfortable in the workplace as well as in other college internships and career roles,” she said.
Cassell said she went on to earn a degree in human resource management and business law and worked at Kohl’s in the Twin Cities before returning to her apprenticeship at Peoples State Bank in Wausau.
She said the nine youth apprentice students who currently work at Peoples State Bank are mentored by the branch managers and staff at each site.
Foley said Peoples State Bank’s long-standing investment in the program is a prime example of the positive impacts it has on students and businesses.
“The [investment comes] right back as they have been able to see that it works,” she said. “They get ready, talented, energetic, young students who learn from them directly. Students obtain experience with different mentors in multiple areas of banking – not only customer service but a variety of other areas of finance. For some, the experience serves as a lifelong connection for that person’s future career.”
Shifting demand, interest
Though placements have slowed down a little recently, Foley said the college has been able to balance the demand for student placements.
“Normally, we have had more opportunities than students,” she said. “[Now], in some industries, we’re hearing them say, ‘No, we’re good right now.’ We are always aware of which industries are mostly impacted [by these shifts in need].”
Generally, Foley said “we are growing between 10-15% every year.”
“Since last year, we have added new pathways for work experience, like fire science and barber and cosmetology,” she said. “Two years ago, we added early childhood education.”
Foley said NTC has also seen a slight shift in demand for pathways.
“Our top pathway has changed over the last few years,” she said. “Our main industry focus used to be manufacturing, but in the last two years, our top pathway has been health care.”
Per ntc.edu, YA programs are available in the following categories:
- Agriculture, food and natural resources
- Architecture and construction
- Business
- Education
- Finance
- Government and public administration
- Graphic design/printing
- Health
- Hospitality and tourism
- Human services
- Information technology
- Law, public safety, corrections and security
- Manufacturing
- Marketing
- Science, technology, engineering and math
- Transportation distribution and logistics
Foley said work-based learning is a solidly built program – providing a win-win situation for all involved.
“It is just a win on everyone’s part,” she said, “because as an employer, you want to ultimately retain an individual who is a good fit for the organization and who leaves the apprenticeship with more self-knowledge from the experiences.”
