DWD reports unprecedented workforce progress

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The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development released its Biennial Report on Thursday, reporting numerous records.

The 2023-2025 Biennial Report details Wisconsin’s workforce in numerous areas. 

During the reporting period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, Wisconsin’s workforce saw the following: 

  • By October 2023, the number of jobs in the state had reached an all-time high for three consecutive months;

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  • In 2024, job numbers continued to grow, setting eight consecutive months of record-high employment;

  • The biennium saw Wisconsin maintain a 2.9% unemployment rate through the majority of 2024. Nine counties in the state, most of which are in Northern Wisconsin, saw the lowest unemployment levels in recorded history;

  • Apprenticeship continued its record-breaking pace in Wisconsin. Youth Apprenticeship saw record participation for the fourth consecutive year during the 2024-25 school year. Registered Apprenticeship set records for three consecutive years, and new pathways offered earn-as-you-learn options to start careers in healthcare, public safety, technology, education and other growing fields;

  • More people with disabilities participated in the workforce in 2024 than ever before; and

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  • These accomplishments came as Gov. Tony Evers declared 2024 the Year of the Worker and DWD continued to implement the administration’s $158 million investment called the Workforce Solutions Initiative (WSI), which bolstered local, innovative programs in every corner of the state.

“Wisconsin’s record-breaking workforce accomplishments during this period are part of a broad vision from the Evers administration that seeks to connect people with jobs and help their career advancement through training,” DWD secretary Amy Pechacek said in a statement. “While the nation’s economic outlook and federal funding priorities have clouded or shifted, it is essential to note the progress and achievements for Wisconsin workers in recent years.”

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