MILWAUKEE — Ascendium Education Group awarded a $10 million grant to the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP) | BIG STEP to develop a statewide apprenticeship network.

What You Need To Know

  • Ascendium Education Group awarded a $10 million grant to WRTP | BIG STEP

  • The grant focuses on underrepresented populations in Wisconsin and will develop a statewide apprenticeship network
  • Wisconsin had a record year for registered apprentices in 2024, with 17,452 active contracts, a 3.1% increase from the year prior, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)

The funding will be spread out over five years, and will go toward the WRTP-led Apprenticeship Pathway Coalition Initiative (APCI). The program will focus on underrepresented populations in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin had a record year for registered apprentices in 2024, with 17,452 active contracts, a 3.1% increase from the year prior, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD). According to DWD, registered apprentices can train in more than 200 occupations, including construction, manufacturing, health care and information technology. Apprenticeships allow people to earn money while learning on the job.

WRTP | BIG STEP said it focuses on developing the workforce for “construction, manufacturing and emerging sectors of the regional economy.”

“We look forward to leading this coalition to create a robust workforce ecosystem that serves both rural and urban areas with equitable access for all Wisconsinites,” Lindsay Blumer, WRTP | BIGSTEP president and CEO, said.

WRTP was created in Milwaukee in the 1990s to support rebuilding the city’s industrial base. It has grown since then, with offices in Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, and is active in eight other Wisconsin communities. With the new funding, the nonprofit WRTP | BIG STEP will expand the network for certified pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship pathways in the state.

Pre-apprenticeships prepare potential employees for registered apprenticeships. DWD listed 38 certified pre-apprenticeships in the state distributed through 24 programs.

“Ascendium is pleased to support WRTP | BIG STEP in expanding apprenticeship pathways across Wisconsin,” Brittany Corde, Ascendium senior program officer, said. “We believe apprenticeships are a critical part of the landscape of workforce training opportunities that should be available to help more learners from low-income backgrounds achieve upward mobility.”

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