Scholarship Paves the Way for 100+ FVTC Apprentices

At a time when apprenticeship enrollment has reached historic highs, 114 Fox Valley Technical College apprentices have received Tools of the Trade scholarships from Ascendium.

Ascendium, a nonprofit organization supporting students through education and training post-high school, has provided more than $8.8 million in scholarships to more than 5,000 apprentices over the past 13 years through this program.

Each $2,000 scholarship can be used to cover costs of apprenticeship training, including tools equipment, clothing and tuition, allowing participants to focus on what truly matters: learning their trades.

“The Tools of the Trade scholarship makes a real difference for our apprentices by helping cover the cost of tools and transportation, removing barriers so they can focus on learning and succeeding on the job,” says Erick Krowas, interim associate dean of Apprenticeship.

To be considered for the scholarship, apprentices must be enrolled in a construction or industrial trade apprenticeship program at one of the 16 Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) colleges for the fall and spring semesters and demonstrate financial need.

FVTC offers 22 different apprenticeship pathways. For the 2024-25 Academic Year, FVTC led the WTCS in number of apprenticeship students enrolled with 1,850!

In addition, 476 employers sponsored FVTC apprentices in 2024-25.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s 2023-2025 Biennial Report, 2025 marked the third consecutive year of record participation in apprenticeship programs.

Congratulations to all the scholarship recipients!