Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Ascendium supports future workforce with scholarships
Tools of the Trade $1,500 funds given to more than 500 WI apprentices
More than 20 Chippewa Valley Technical College student apprentices were awarded $1,500 scholarships from Ascendium Education Group recently. The group supported 511 construction and industrial trade apprentices in the Wisconsin Technical College System through their Tools of the Trade Scholarship program.
The scholarships are intended to help purchase tools, clothing and equipment required by their trades to complete their programs and secure in-demand jobs. In total, Ascendium awarded $766,500 to eligible apprentices across 16 technical colleges this year.
Today’s industry demands these trained workers, especially as Wisconsin businesses face a shortage of workers due to retirements, falling birth rates, and loss of talent as people leave the state for other employment opportunities.
Apprenticeships are a great solution to the skilled worker shortage; however, upfront costs of starting an apprenticeship may deter some students from pursuing one. Student costs include the purchase of necessary items like tools, equipment and protective clothing.
The Tools of the Trade program has been remarkably effective at helping apprentices stay on track in their training. More than 90 percent of past scholarship recipients have completed or continued their apprenticeship in the fall following their scholarship award.
Scholarship winners from CVTC are: Bryce Becker, Hammond; Bret Beil, Glidden; Cole Bowe, Chippewa Falls; Kyle Burnside, Menomonie; Corey Danker, Hillsdale; Jake Eslinger, Chippewa Falls; Luke Gronning, Shelly Lake; Dean Harder, Rice Lake; Kai Liljeqvist, Eau Claire; Robert Lilly, Mondovi; Adam Madison, Eau Claire; Brandon Mattson, Eau Claire; Manuel Melendrez, Eau Claire; Avery Pedersen, Eau Claire; Drew Post, Bloomer; Christian Reiter, Hudson; Cody Schaar, New Richmond; Dakota Steinke, Osseo; Jarrod Thordson, Elk Mound; Jonathan Thorgerson, Elk Mound; and Luke Wollenziehn, Eau Claire.
Ascendium, a nonprofit, has supported apprentices with a financial need in the Wisconsin Technical College System since 2013. With this year’s award, Ascendium’s Tools of the Trade Scholarship program surpassed $2 million in total scholarship awards to eligible apprentices across the system.
In total, 469 Wisconsin Technical College System students received the scholarship from Ascendium in 2021-2022.
