For Jaton Mitchell, WRTP | BIG STEP’s Pave Your Path program was the fresh start that he needed for the next chapter of his life. “I first heard about WRTP | BIG STEP while I was incarcerated in the Dane County Jail,” Jaton says. “At that time in my life, I knew I needed
Sydnee Smith knew that she wanted to start a career in construction, and with the help of WRTP | BIG STEP and FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET), that path was within her reach. Equus, the FSET provider for Racine County, referred Sydnee to WRTP | BIG STEP for training. She enrolled in our Highway
As originally published by Fox21SUPERIOR, Wis. (KQDS-TV) - High school students in Superior got a chance to learn more about different career paths within the trades.The week-long event, put on by the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership's Building Industry Group Skilled Trades Employment Program, is a part of their Summer Trades Academy.On Wednesday, students toured the
MILWAUKEE (July 27, 2026) — WRTP | BIG STEP has been awarded a nearly $1.3 million YouthBuild grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide education, workforce training and career opportunities for youth in Milwaukee. YouthBuild is a pre-apprenticeship program that prepares young people for family-sustaining careers through education, occupational skills training, paid work
To Angel Lopez, learning to make connections and follow up on job prospects is just as important as any hands-on training. “BIG STEP links you with people and gives you good information about who to talk to,” Angel said. “The skills that I learned are invaluable, but the follow-up gets you across the finish
Source: WSAW-7Students at Northcentral Technical College are learning entry-level construction skills for free. The training is helping to address a shortage of trade workers.It’s because of a partnership with the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership | Building Industry Group Skilled Trades Employment Program, or WRTP | BIG STEP. It’s a workforce development program that received a
WRTP | BIG STEP’s 2025 Impact Report highlights a year of growth and meaningful strides in its mission to develop a more diverse, qualified workforce. In 2025, the organization celebrated 50 years since the inception of BIG STEP, expanded its programming statewide, and renovated the Milwaukee Training Center. This growth was underscored by significant
NOW AVAILABLE! The Full Conversation on the Future of Wisconsin’s Talent Pipeline Source: Milwaukee Workforce Hub The Milwaukee Workforce Hub is pleased to release the full interview between WRTP | BIG STEP President & CEO Lindsay Blumer and Wisconsin Policy Forum President Jason Stein and Research Director Joe Peterangelo. This wide-ranging conversation, recorded over
WRTP | BIG STEP President & CEO Lindsay Blumer was featured on Workforce on the Mic, presented by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). In the episode, “A BIG STEP Forward: Preparing Talent for Apprenticeship Success,” Lindsay discusses the importance of apprentice readiness in today’s climate with Alexis Franks, Director of Membership
MILWAUKEE, WI (January 21, 2026) – The Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership | Building Industry Group Skilled Trades Employment Program (WRTP | BIG STEP) has been awarded a Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to train Wisconsin women for family-sustaining careers as commercial drivers and union skilled tradesworkers.The
