How Youth Apprenticeships Help Prepare Students for College or Career

Now in her senior year, Sariah Croft has had the unique opportunity to learn and work simultaneously within the walls of Belleville High School.  Under the direction of her mentor and advisor Chris Armstrong, Croft is in her second year as a Youth Apprentice (YA) in the school’s IT Department.  The Youth Apprentice program is built to give high school students the opportunity to explore fields of interests through the work placement program in an effort to bolster their knowledge as they prepare for college and/or careers beyond graduation.  The Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship program has been making these meaningful connections for students since 1991.

YA experiences happen successfully in Belleville under the guidance of School-to-Career Coordinator Teresa Gartley.  Gartley has helped many students match their interests and classroom experience with workplace internships that help give students further insights into possible college and career paths that they might not be able to imagine while under a teacher’s classroom instruction.  YA students get hands-on experience, and it can help them make next step choices before walking across the stage of their high school gymnasium to receive their diploma.

Gartley is happy with Croft’s success in the IT department and knows this is helping Sariah plan for her future.  Technology Director Chris Armstrong has also noticed a strong level of growth as Croft begins her second year in his department.

Armstrong reflects, “Sariah joined the Youth Apprentice program in August of 2023 and has grown into a valuable and trusted asset for our IT team.  Our apprentices typically start on small projects and support issues until they gain enough experience to work on larger, more involved projects.  It did not take long for us to realize that Sariah could easily take these on and much more as she was running circles around the usual beginning apprentice projects.”

Croft’s work as a Youth Apprentice has helped her channel her technology interests and she has expressed an interest in computer engineering and cybersecurity going forward.  As she tackles her college applications this fall, she is choosing to apply to programs that have strong computer science departments.  Her work for the IT department no doubt has helped her plan.

Croft explains, “The YA program is beneficial for people planning to pursue a trade after high school and those looking to continue their education.  Working at the school, I’ve had the opportunity to narrow down my areas of interest and better decide what I want to do post-high school.”

While Croft plans for her future, the Technology staff know how lucky they have been to have her apprentice in their department.  She has shown exceptional ability to identify problems and seek solutions.  As Mr. Armstrong emphasizes, “Her enthusiasm for taking apart Chromebooks to repair them speaks volumes about her hands-on approach to learning and her passion for technology.”

Also in the second year of his Youth Apprenticeship is senior Logan McCullough.  Logan is doing his YA in manufacturing in machining at Kelsch Machine Corporation under the mentorship of Kevin Elliott (1975) and Dave Scoville (1993).  His YA experience has helped him decide to pursue the field of manufacturing after high school.

McCullough highlights, “At my place of apprenticeship I run a Mazak lathe.  I make a variety of parts from materials such as stainless steel and aluminum.  I use measuring tools to make sure that the part is to the correct size.  I also maintain machines by filling the lube, adding coolant, and changing air filters.”

Gartley notes, “I have especially enjoyed conversations with Logan about work ethic and his ability to see that putting in consistent quality work for an employer pays off.  Logan has been allowed to learn many new skills at Kelsch because he appreciates learning and works to the level of detail needed in this industry.”

Sariah and Logan’s experiences stand out as two examples of the tremendous opportunities Belleville High School has to offer its students.  Youth Apprenticeships under the guidance of Teresa Gartley are a wonderful way for juniors and seniors to set goals and begin to plan their way forward beyond their high school instruction.

Teresa Gartley emphasizes, “All of the 35 years I have been in education have included Work-Based Learning classroom simulations, Co-op programs and now Youth Apprenticeship.  Students develop employment skills and entry-level career pathway technical skills taught by one or more workplace mentors, while taking advanced coursework, certifications, earning a good wage, school credit and upon completion an Occupational Proficiency Certificate in their career pathway from the Department of Workforce Development.  Recruitment for the 2025-2026 school year will begin in early January.”