Gateway Technical College and WRTP/BIG STEP will hold a ceremony on the college’s Racine Campus, 1001 S. Main St., to celebrate the opening of its first Racine location for the non-profit group in Room T 217 of the Technical Building.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. April 9 in Room T217, with a program to begin at 10:15 a.m., followed by light refreshments. WRTP/BIG STEP is a non-profit group which strives to help under-employed, under-served, and under-represented individuals succeed in well-paying careers and responding to industry’s workforce needs.

Outreach and training will be held at the site for the WRTP/BIG STEP construction readiness program as well as other services. The 40-year old group has worked to train and provide skills for solid careers in Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis and is expanding its operations to Racine as a result of increased demand for skilled workers for the Foxconn development.

The group works with industry, especially in those areas of worker shortages, to determine their workforce needs. Programs are open to all people with supportive services to under-represented individuals, of which many live in poverty and earn less than $9,000 annually. The skills they gain – primarily through the trades and construction – provide them a pathway to careers with family-sustaining wages. Last year, WRTP/BIG STEP placed 900 workers into jobs in Milwaukee and Madison, most earning starting wages of $15 to $20 an hour.

Training is offered free of charge to students.