Owen Smith

Owen Smith brings nearly 15 years of formative facilitation experience with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards, during which he collaboratively developed and enhanced registered apprenticeships for occupations across the Wisconsin economy.  As Senior Policy Analyst for two directors, he led 20 statewide industry advisory committees and liaised with WIDS and the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) on program development and review. 

His collaboration with WIDS and the WTCS produced many significant “firsts”:  new programs in agriculture, arboriculture, healthcare, and transportation; collaborations with the German Federal Ministry on best practices for assessing on-the-job learning; and Wisconsin’s first registered apprenticeships for WTCS associate degrees.  Many of their programs were adopted nationally and featured on national webinars on best practices and innovations in program design. 

Inspired by his earliest encounters with WIDS, Owen earned certifications in DACUM Facilitation and Systematic Curriculum and Instructional Design from his alma matter, The Ohio State University. 

He refers fondly to his previous career as service to “The WI Apprentice Ship” and jokes that he could have “jumped ship” only to apprentice as a WIDSard – and apply performance-based learning to “broader waters.”

Owen earned a Masters of Science in Life Sciences Communication from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  He is a certified yoga and meditation instructor.