The atmosphere was very festive as the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin recognized its apprentices during a recent Graduation Banquet. I’ve attended many commencement ceremonies over the past couple of decades, and none was more emotional than this one. With a record 500 graduates, family members, friends and instructors in attendance, it was the ABC of Wisconsin’s largest graduation banquet yet.
More than 100 graduates walked across the stage to be honored for their hard work. The graduates beamed with pride as the audience looked on and cheered for every one of them. The enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment on display were very moving.
“It was an amazing experience, shaking the hands of each graduate as they came across the stage,” said Dan Bertler, chairman of the ABC of Wisconsin Board. “It was the coolest thing.”
It was also fun to see all the families and friends who had come out to support the graduates and take part in the occasion. Their enthusiasm was evident in the amount of time they spent afterward on photos and socializing. Apprentices were hugging family members and commenting how happy they are to have this opportunity.
One apprentice thanked the ABC for the graduation ceremony and recognition, but in my mind, all I could think was, “I should be thanking him for being part of our industry, and he’s thanking ABC.”
These apprentices deserve every bit of recognition for their dedication, hard work and commitment to the industry, and then some.
Apprenticeship is one of the oldest forms of education, and one that has never been more important for our workforce. But our culture doesn’t appreciate apprenticeship enough. Too often, our society defines “education” in a very narrow sense.
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