A new broadband workforce partnership will launch in spring 2027 to support a $72 million tribally owned fiber network planned for northern Wisconsin.
The Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Nicolet College and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards are developing the one-year broadband service technician apprenticeship.
The program combines 2,000 hours of on-the-job training with 144 hours of related instruction at Nicolet. Apprentices will earn wages while learning installation, repair, network support and administrative activities.
The tribe’s 900‑mile fiber network is expected to reach about 4,600 homes in Forest County and nearby communities. The broadband project, reportedly the largest off-reservation tribally owned and operated in Wisconsin history, was announced in February with a four-year construction timeline, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Sokaogon Chairman Robert VanZile told Wisconsin Public Radio that the apprenticeship would help create jobs while expanding broadband access to support telehealth, education and economic development throughout the region.
The partnership grew out of earlier education and workforce development collaborations between Sokaogon and Nicolet, said Bobbi Fields, the college’s vice president of academic affairs. As the tribe pursued broadband funding, the partners began planning for the network’s labor needs and identified apprenticeship as a way to train workers while they earn wages and gain credentials.
Fields said the earn‑and‑learn model helps individuals gain experience without taking on significant debt while employers train workers to meet their staffing needs.
The partnership serves as a foundation for broader digital access and technology goals. Fields said the tribe convened higher education, health care and technology partners to discuss telehealth and other regional needs.
Fields said apprenticeship opportunities will depend on employer sponsors, with apprentices earning wages while completing training and coursework. She said individuals can explore openings through Nicolet’s career services and workforce networks.
Brian Edwards contributed reporting.
