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 direction and a second chance, and this program stood out as something real and practical.”
In 2025, the first cohort of WRTP | BIG STEP’s Pave Your Path program began their training, marking a major milestone in our formal partnership with the Dane County Office of Justice Reform. Pave Your Path is designed to expose justice-involved individuals to career opportunities in construction and develop their job-readiness for jobs in construction. The program serves all justice-involved individuals, including those currently in Dane County diversion and/or incarceration and those who have recently re-entered the community.
Jaton was part of the first in-custody cohort of Pave Your Path in February 2025. “Tired of going in circles,” Jaton welcomed the structure, discipline, and long-term opportunities offered by the construction trades. After his release, he enrolled in our Entry-Level Construction Skills training and quickly started working toward his new life.
“The instructors treated us like we had potential,” Jaton says. “They didn’t just teach skills—they built confidence. They gave us hands-on training, real expectations, and guidance on how to enter the trades the right way.”
After passing the Accuplacer test and graduating from Entry-Level Construction Skills training, Jaton received his letter of introduction with the plumbers union. Dave Jones Plumbing, HVAC, Fire Protection, Electrical in Madison hired Jaton as a plumbing pre-apprentice prior to his graduation, and he started full-time at the company making $18 per hour.
After gaining experience on the job as a plumber, Jaton decided to try a different skilled trade and set his sights on carpentry. JP Cullen hired him, and he’s part of Carpenters Local 314.
“WRTP | BIG STEP completely changed the direction of my life,” Jaton says. “Because of the training and support I received, I was able to join Local 314 as a carpenter and start building a lifelong career. I now have stability, purpose, and a future I’m working toward every day. The programs helped me break a cycle and step into something productive and meaningful.”
