Q. What exactly is the apprenticeship program?

A. The Green Bay Youth Apprenticeship program is a way to gain career-based experience with a mentor as your instructor. Personally, I was hired as an apprentice onto BOLDT Company.  And in my experience, I am able to help work on the Green Bay Botanical Garden children’s expansion project; we are building a treehouse, splash pad, and an amphitheater to add to the children’s area. 

Q. How did you get involved with this? 

A. I was introduced to Dave Kievet, the president and COO of BOLDT, and he got me in contact with Ginelle Hussin, the campus and workforce development director.  Through Ginelle I toured their project at Salm Partners, and then I got hired after I decided that is the career I want.  After I got hired, I then worked with Mr. Dory and my CESA 6 representative to start working during the second semester.  

Q. Why did you decide to do it? 

A. I decided I wanted to do it to let me get a head start in this career path—nothing better than hands-on experience to learn from.  I am not a big fan of working at a desk all day every day, and by working in construction and similar labor I am able to balance out my office time with my time on site.

Q. What’s been your favorite part of the program?

A. Besides the pay and leaving school after 6th hour, I enjoy being able to see the progress of every project.  From bidding to building, the work every person puts into it to work together is pretty cool. 

Q. Would you recommend this opportunity to other students? 

A. Yes!  It is a big time commitment, but if you don’t join the program late (like me), there shouldn’t be much stress to meet the work hour requirement.  Being able to see what people with my intended major do on an average day helps me decide through experience what I want to do with my career.

Q. Anything else you want to share? 

A. The BOLDT Career fair is an opportunity to see and get a hands-on experience of the different trades in the labor union, and at the fair, booths are set up for the carpenters, masons, plumbers, iron workers, and many other trades. By choosing to participate in a youth apprenticeship through BOLDT, students may sign on with them as a union worker after they complete the YA. This will give them the chance to start their career off with a well paying job, work experience, and no student debt. Choosing to move on to secondary schooling is an option too; by doing this students are able to start their  secondary education off with a head start in their career—this increases the chances that companies will hire them as interns, apprentices, and employees in their future.