Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University graduated 188 this month from its Level IV registered apprenticeship programs, which the university offers in partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor. Of that total, 133 electricians and 55 plumbers, representing 115 employer sponsors, were recognized at the graduation for having completed all four offered levels of training in their respective trade.
Since 1999, Vermont State University (and its predecessor, Vermont Technical College) has partnered with the Vermont Department of Labor to manage the instructional component of the Registered Electrical & Plumbing Apprenticeship programs.
Apprentices are required to complete 144 hours of classroom instruction during each of the four years of the apprenticeship for 576 total classroom hours. During this time, apprentices work on-the-job under a master electrician or plumber to obtain the required 8,000 on-the-job hours required to sit for the Vermont Journeyman’s Licensure Exam.
The graduation ceremony, held at VTSU’s Randolph campus, recognizes those students who have completed all four years of the program. 89% of this year’s graduating class are Vermont residents, with the remaining 11% hailing from neighboring New Hampshire and New York.
Governor Phil Scott gave the keynote address at the graduation. “With an aging workforce, we need to do all we can to train and retain workers in Vermont,” said Governor Phil Scott. “Apprenticeships are a great example of how government and businesses can work together to give Vermonters the tools they need to have successful careers in the trades.”
Vermont State University President Dave Bergh added, “this program is an important pathway that enables Vermonters to get the training they need for Journeyman licensure, which addresses the critical shortages the state is experiencing in this sector of the workforce. At the same time, apprenticeships enable Vermont employers to train the skilled workforce of plumbers and electricians they need to support their work, and in turn, the state’s infrastructure needs. This is a growing program at Vermont State and we are proud to be graduating another record-breaking class this spring.”
Vermont State’s registered apprenticeship programs are showing significant growth, the University reported earlier this year. Across all four years in the plumbing and electrical apprenticeship programs, VTSU had over 900 students enrolled, up over 40% since 2021.
Sarah Ballou, program manager for Vermont State University’s apprenticeship programs, noted, “We are incredibly grateful to our employer partners, who have trusted us with the education component of these apprenticeships for decades now. We’re incredibly proud of this year’s 188 graduates and the work they, and their employer sponsors, have put in over four years to achieve this milestone.”
According to data compiled by the Vermont Department of Labor and the The J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation, Vermont will need over 1,400 plumbers and pipefitters, electricians, and telecom line installers in the coming decade. “Vermont State University will continue to do its part to provide the education and training needed to address this workforce shortage,” Ballou added. “It’s a team effort to execute these programs, and it’s a testament to the strength of the employer partnerships and the support of the State that this program continues to grow at a steady clip.”
Lakeside Electric Inc, is a South Burlington business that provides electrical service to residential, commercial, and industrial clients. Darlene LeClair is the owner and business manager, and had four apprentices in this year’s graduating class. “We have put a lot of students through this program,” Darlene said. “We focus on coupling the classroom instruction our employees receive at VTSU with strong on-the-job training. Our new employees have to be in the apprenticeship program and work side-by-side with a journeyman or a master electrician, applying the instruction they get in class in real life. What we see as a result is strong, well-rounded, highly skilled electricians.”
Governor Scott, with President Bergh, greet a graduate. Photos courtesy VTSU.
About Vermont State University
Vermont State University, Vermont’s statewide public university, provides transformative, future‑ready education that empowers learners to shape their own course – professionally, personally, and within their communities. Rooted in Vermont values, Vermont State delivers hands‑on, career‑connected learning through in‑person, fully online, and blended programs built for real lives and real goals. Built in Vermont. Made for Everywhere. Learn more at VermontState.edu.
6.2.2026. Randolph, VT — Vermont State University
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