UWM Launches Tech Apprenticeships to Close HR Skills Gap

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) unveiled a new effort to help both current students and alumni access career opportunities in the fast-growing HR tech industry. Known as the Rise apprenticeship program, the initiative was designed in partnership with Helios Consulting, an advisory partner of Workday, the HR tech platform of choice for nearly 10,000 companies worldwide, including half of the Fortune 500.

"As demand for technology skills continues to grow across the region, UWM has a unique opportunity to solve two challenges at once: creating new pathways to high-wage jobs for our community, while also addressing a growing need for workers with those tech skills," said UWM Provost Scott Gronert. "Together with Helios, we're helping to address one of the most critical talent gaps faced by Wisconsin employers, and enabling our students and graduates to gain the skills that translate to success in today's increasingly tech-driven labor market."

The new partnership advances UWM's 2030 plan, which focuses on building more learner-centric programming while also responding to the demands of the region's economy. UWM students and graduates who participate in Rise will be paid Helios employees starting from day one of training. The program, which includes training and support from industry experts, also provides a pathway to joining Helios' Fortune 500 clients upon completion.

"Building a more inclusive, resilient tech workforce starts with creating tighter connections between higher education and the world of work," said Helios President Trevor Lee. "This is about strengthening those connections to help UWM fulfill its role as an engine of economic growth for the Upper Midwest."

Students or recent graduates of UWM who are interested in learning more about the Rise program can visit www.helios.consulting/rise.

About UWM

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has an ambitious mission as both a top-tier research university and an access institution, striving to ensure that students have equitable opportunities to earn a college degree. UWM educates a diverse student body of more than 23,000 students from 88 countries. More than one-third of its undergraduates are first-generation college students. Its unique and top-rated programs include Wisconsin's only accredited schools of architecture and public health, the only North American school dedicated solely to freshwater sciences and a film program ranked among the top 50 in the world. It has the largest and top-rated online education program in Wisconsin. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, promote entrepreneurship, provide student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2023 "Best Midwestern" university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews.

About Helios

Helios is a certified Workday partner which helps employers with their implementation journey and expand deployment of Workday's software to improve and streamline their human capital management (HCM) functions. Helios also solves Workday talent needs with Rise, the first apprenticeship program in the Workday ecosystem. Based in St. Paul, MN, Helios prides itself on taking the enterprise view on Workday module deployments to achieve desired business outcomes. Helios' credibility with clients is based on real work delivered to clients that do business around the globe.https://www.helios.consulting/