Dear Senator Marklein and Representative Petryk:            

We urge you to consider and support Senate Bill 112 / Assembly Bill 177, a one-time business tax credit of $2,500 that would relieve businesses who employ and sponsor a registered apprentice under the American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) Grant awarded by the U.S Department of Labor. It is limited to the first 300 AAI sponsored professional design apprentices.

The proposed tax credit helps businesses accelerate the development of its design talent. This ground breaking professional apprenticeship in design is critically important for Wisconsin to expand its creative talent reach, retain its millennials and encourage a vibrant entrepreneurial climate for young professionals.

Globally, product designers’ abilities are recognized as a source of innovation and competitiveness in industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing to renewable energy. Graphic, interactive, and interior architecture designers’ skills drive the look, feel and usability of products and services across a myriad of industries.

Whether employed within or beyond the design industry, designers and design businesses of all sizes contribute significantly to the State of Wisconsin’s economic competitiveness. This tax credit is an important first step in supporting the role the design industry in the growth of Wisconsin’s creative economy.

Fast-tracking Wisconsin’s development of its design talent, MIAD’s newly established innovative professional apprenticeships will strengthen Wisconsin’s design reputation. This important program created by the design industry and vetted by designers across the country puts Wisconsin at the forefront of creative talent advancement.

Supporting MIAD’s American Apprenticeship Initiative through Senate Bill 112 / Assembly Bill 177 increases business and organizational capability, making Wisconsin businesses better users of design and therefore, more innovative, productive and internationally competitive. As the creative economy is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the global economy, Wisconsin must keep pace through the development of its creatives.

Your support and advocacy for Senate Bill 112 / Assembly Bill 177 on behalf MIAD and its alumni is respectfully requested. Make Wisconsin the hub for creative talent.