To help alleviate a shortage of qualified building inspectors in Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical College and state workforce officials have designed and developed a unique, one-year apprenticeship that will be offered starting in the fall of 2026.
This Registered Apprenticeship program is the first of its kind in the state.
MATC, along with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)/Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards, have created a Commercial Building Inspector apprenticeship program that consists of 288 hours of instruction and 2,288 hours of on-the-job training.
The classes will be delivered virtually to make it available statewide.
“This is the first program of its kind and will be the only one in the state of Wisconsin,” said Dr. Doni Bartley, MATC’s associate dean of the Manufacturing, Construction and Transportation Academic and Career Pathway and apprenticeships. “This program will train the next generation of Wisconsin building inspectors.”
Municipalities throughout the state urgently need qualified building inspectors to ensure the continued safety of residents, Dr. Bartley said.
“When DSPS approached DWD and MATC to create this registered apprenticeship, safety was top of mind,” said DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth. “While our department, as an employer of Commercial Building Inspectors, stands to benefit from programs that bolster the workforce in this field, as the regulatory agency responsible for adherence to state commercial building code standards, we also see the safety benefit of having more qualified building inspectors in communities across Wisconsin.”
The inspector shortage is being driven by an aging workforce that is not being replaced fast enough to keep up with new construction demand, Dr. Bartley said. “This can cause significant inspection delays for builders and homeowners,” he said.
Demand for building inspectors in Wisconsin is projected to grow 5.9% between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Construction projects continue to grow throughout Wisconsin, and with it, the need for talented professionals who can meet the challenges of ensuring modern building projects are built thoroughly and up to particular build standards that align with safety,” said David Polk, director of DWD's Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards.
“As Wisconsin continues to see record numbers of registered apprentices in the traditional trades and emerging employment sectors, it's clear that apprenticeship is an attractive option for our partners at DSPS and local municipalities,” Polk added.
MATC and state officials worked for more than two years to craft the program, Dr. Bartley said.
Apprentices in the new program will take courses in electrical; plumbing; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; construction; and commercial building. Apprentices also will be required to complete a Transition to Trainer course, which prepares the soon-to-be journeyworkers to teach the next generation of apprentices.
The coursework, along with the on-the-job training, will prepare apprentices to attain both residential and commercial building inspection licenses.
A career in building inspection offers good pay and job security. The median annual salary in 2024 was $72,120 ($34.67 per hour) and the top 25% of earners made more than $92,330, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
MATC apprentices awarded scholarships for specialized tools and equipment
Earlier this month, 37 MATC students in construction and industrial trade apprenticeships received Tools of the Trade scholarships from Ascendium Education Group, a nonprofit organization that helps people attain educational and career goals.
Each apprentice received $2,000 to use for tuition or to purchase specialized equipment needed in their programs, such as hand tools, reinforced and fire-resistant work pants, helmets, heavy-duty gloves, safety goggles, protective jackets, and steel-toe boots.
“Workers entering the trades often face an additional challenge of outfitting themselves with the required tools, which can be quite costly,” Dr. Bartley said. “The Tools of the Trade scholarship holds a unique distinction of helping these students in this regard, removing multiple burdens from their start in industry.”
MATC currently offers 15 construction and industrial apprenticeship programs that provide learners with paid, on-the-job experience along with classroom instruction.
MATC apprentices who received scholarships in 2026 were:
Electrician: Nathaniel Calhoun, Edward Farrell, Mitchel Heinz, Mitchell Jackson, Theodore Meiers, Christopher Moldenauer, Derek Sowinski
Environmental Service Technician: Jason Brinkmeier
HVAC: Isaiah Barley, Travis Chitwood, Cameron Grady, Adrian Martinez, Evan Meredith, Peyton Mierow, Eihan Mooney, Hunter Schlueter, Isaac Schlueter, Ian Smith
Sheet Metal: Daniel Gonzalez, Morgan Krebsbach, Rhiannon Nelson, Siphanh Phongsavath, Jenser Ramirez, Aidin Stohr, Kevan Sullivan, Caleb Vagnini, Luis Valadez Jr., Tommy Vongphakdy
Steamfitting: Noah Davis, Daniel Ferry, Adam Gresk, Isaac Kuchta, Blake Martz, Ross Musil
Pipefitter: Gene Nickels
Machine Repair: Jesus Flores
Maintenance Technician: Luis Guzman
This year, Ascendium awarded 806 scholarships to construction and industrial apprentices in the 16 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). Since its creation in 2013, the scholarship program has provided nearly $7 million in assistance to more than 5,000 apprentices.
“Ascendium’s continued investment in Wisconsin’s apprentices is truly transformational,” WTCS President Layla Merrifield said. “These scholarships remove real financial barriers for students who are building their skills, supporting their families and contributing to the strength of our state’s workforce.”
Read about previous Tools of The Trade scholarship winners:
About MATC: Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 35,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 45 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.