WRTP | BIG STEP secures federal grant to train women CDL drivers

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A Milwaukee-based workforce development organization announced it secured a federal grant to train Wisconsin women as commercial truck drivers and union trade workers.

WRTP | BIG STEP announced Wednesday it was awarded a $750,000 Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, which will be used to expand a 12-week pre-apprenticeship program that combines construction skills training with a commercial driver’s license preparation course.

WRTP will launch its first classes in Milwaukee and Racine this year and then expand to northeast and northwest Wisconsin in 2027, officials said. The two-year grant will be used to train at least 60 women without cost to them, officials added.

“She Drives the Future addresses persistent workforce shortages in construction, transportation and other skilled trades, while opening doors for women who have historically been underrepresented in these industries,” officials said in a news release.

The state is projected to add more than 14,000 construction jobs, data from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development showed. Women make up just 9% of construction workers and 6% of CDL holders in Wisconsin, WRTP officials said.

“Employers across the state are facing critical labor shortages, and She Drives the Future addresses this issue by creating a diverse talent pipeline statewide,” said Lindsay Blumer, president and chief executive officer of WRTP | BIG STEP, in a statement. “She Drives the Future helps close that gap by preparing women to succeed in registered apprenticeships and long-term careers that pay family-sustaining wages.”

Women enrolled in the program will receive industry-recognized certifications and hands-on training, including CDL permit prep, new driver orientation and assessment, classroom instruction, OSHA certification, first aid/CPR, hands-on projects and more, officials said. Participants may also earn incentive payments for meeting program milestones, which will encourage them to complete the program and ease their financial burden as they dedicate 12 weeks to training.

Information sessions about She Drives the Future are scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 3, 9 and 16 at WRTP | BIG STEP’s Milwaukee location at 3841 W. Wisconsin Ave. Sessions for Racine and northern Wisconsin will be scheduled later in 2026.