2005
Backed by the support of Governor Jim Doyle, WRTP | BIG STEP establishes the Center of Excellence (COE) for Skilled Trades & Industry.
2003
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation selects WRTP for a national Sector Employment Impact Study.
2002
WRTP and BIG STEP partner to facilitate the effective coordination of employer-driven worker readiness, ensuring prospective workers gain the skills and experiences required by employers.
2000
WRTP is awarded a demonstration grant from the United States Department of Labor to replicate the program in other sectors of the nation.
1997
WRTP receives funds from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to develop a model program in manufacturing training.
1992
The Commission on a Quality Workforce recommends the development of partnerships between business, labor, and government to renew the industrial base in the Milwaukee area, and WRTP is born.
1989
BIG STEP’s growth expands, thanks to regular contributions from Joint Apprenticeship Committees, Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Carpenters Union, Bricklayers Union, Sheet Metal Union, and Electricians Union.
1975
Project LEAP evolves into BIG STEP, the Building Industry Group Skilled Trades Employment Program. The BIG STEP organization becomes known as a place where people, particularly minorities, go to receive the necessary training for well-paid, prosperous careers.
1967
Vince Toran, Wisconsin’s first Black building trades apprentice, is asked to work for the Labor Education Advancement Program (LEAP), a national pilot program designed to recruit, train, and place more minority and women candidates in skilled jobs.