The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is one month into a new apprenticeship program for bus drivers and mechanics, the first of its kind in Wisconsin.
The 18-month-long apprenticeship program pays members an hourly wage while under the supervision of a trainer. The program is a joint effort between MCTS, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and the Amalgamated Transit Union.
After difficulty recruiting trained labor early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin has set a new record each of the last three years for the number of participants in its registered apprenticeship programs, totaling over 17,000 statewide in 2024. This includes more traditional trades like construction and plumbers, but also roles like teachers and arborists.
Compounding this need for labor, MCTS is seeing a rise in demand for its services. The agency reported a 13% increase in ridership in its 2024 annual report.
Mechanic apprentices earn wages starting at $30 per hour and bus driver's start at $24.40 per hour. But for Sharieka Thomas, one of two members of the mechanic apprenticeship, the opportunity is bigger than a paycheck. It's a chance to inspire the next generation to chase a dream.
A journey in search of service
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Thomas remembers doing car repairs with her stepfather.
"So that like me getting my hands dirty, and I liked that because it seemed quick and you got paid," she says. "So that was the first time I remember doing anything hands on."
Today, Thomas is enrolled in MCTS’ new mechanic apprenticeship program, and is the first woman “A” mechanic, as well as the first Black woman “A” mechanic, at MCTS. An “A” mechanic refers to a mechanic of the highest expertise as opposed to a “B” or “C” mechanic. The letter grade indicates the complexity of problems mechanics are certified to address.
But Thomas' professional route included serving in the Air Force and dabbling in police and social work, before eventually landing a job with MCTS cleaning buses and filling up gas tanks. Throughout this journey, Thomas says she was following an instinct to serve.
"Service is my passion," she says. "So however that looks, whatever outlet that is, it's something I enjoy doing and it comes naturally to me."
She's recently trained as a "C" mechanic before beginning her apprenticeship to become an "A" mechanic. Though she says she received invaluable training from this experience, it was not a perfect experience.
"There were people who were not excited about a woman being on the floor. Old school mechanics who had been there a long time," she says. "I'm not really big on proving things to people, but I figured the best thing I can do here is prove to myself that I am worthy to be here and do this job. That was my way of fixing it."
For Thomas, there are both tangible and intangible reasons she believes she's found the right path. Tangibly, the steady paycheck earned while learning employable skills provides security for herself and her two daughters.
Intangibly, she stands as an example to future generations when visiting her daughters' school. "They say, 'Hi mechanic lady!' when I pick my girls up," she says. "It's still shocking for people when I say that — that [I'm] the first woman and the first African-American woman [to be a mechanic at MCTS.] That, to me, meant a lot."
Scaling the apprenticeship model
As new bus drivers and mechanics like Thomas signed their contracts in front of a bevy of media outlets outside MCTS headquarters, the possibilities felt endless.
On this day, David Polk addressed the crowd as the director of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards. The agency oversees Wisconsin's registered apprenticeship programs such as those MCTS recently launched.
But he remembers his early years, and reminded new recruits to embrace the journey.
"I started my career off as a plumbing apprentice, and one thing I want to say to all the new apprentices here today is, 'Welcom to the family,'" he said.
Donna Brown-Martin, Milwaukee County's director of transportation, says recruiting trained labor has been difficult in recent years. In addition, the workforce is aging.
"There are so many people who have been in this industry for 20-35 years, they're retiring," she says. "As they retire, getting someone in place who can pick up on those skills and do that work is extremely important to us."
But with people like Thomas getting their training, it seems Milwaukee County buses are in good hands.
