RANDOM LAKE, Wis. — Audrey Williamson doesn't have a typical school schedule. While most students are in class, she's running the Random Lake Cafe under her high school's Youth Apprenticeship program.
"Classes in the afternoon, and in the morning, I work here," Williamson said.
The Random Lake High School senior is one of many students participating in the Youth Apprenticeship, or YA, program that allows students to do paid work for school credits several days a week.
"I want to go to college for business, so I think that learning how to work inside of a business rather than just managing it is giving me that actual experience," Williamson said.
The program provides hands-on experience at over 35 participating local businesses and companies. Career paths include hospitality, business management, logistics, healthcare and many others..
Senior Logan Michaels balances his academic and extracurricular schedule, including baseball and National Honor Society, with his Youth Apprenticeship position.
Watch: Explosive growth in Random Lake High School's Youth Apprenticeship program:
"I'm currently employed at Bull's Eye Family Farms out in Random Lake," Michaels said.
The program has seen explosive growth. In the 2022-23 school year, only two students participated in YA. Now, 40% of upperclassmen are involved.
"I think it's been incredibly invaluable to them," said Jason Last, a teacher at Random Lake High School. "They're building a network at the age of 17 and 18 that wouldn't have happened when I was that age."
The program is designed to provide every student with opportunities to set them up for success, especially for those like junior Vladimir Anzures, who has a passion for culinary arts.
Random Lake Pizzeria fills that gap.
"Whenever [customers] taste it, it gives me that satisfaction that I did a great job in preparing their food, making it look and taste good at the same time," Anzures said.
Random Lake's success is inspiring other school districts across the state to adopt their own versions of the program.
Current participants have become the biggest advocates for the initiative.
Williamson encouraged, "Even if you don't know what you want to do, doing a Youth Apprenticeship can really help you figure out what you want to do in the future.
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