“I relocated to Rhode Island with 10 years of experience as a graphic designer. After months of applying for jobs without any luck, I was referred by a friend to Nick, a SkillsRI job recruiter. Nick quickly matched me to the perfect job opening at the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (RICC) and submitted my qualifications for review. Days later I was called in for an interview – ironic since I had previously applied to this same posting through the company’s website and never heard back. After being invited back for a second interview, I was thrilled to receive a job offer as RICC’s new graphic designer! It took a lot of work and effort, researching the company, making sure my portfolio was up-to-date, and preparing extensively for my interviews. But I will always be grateful to SkillsRI for opening the door to such an amazing opportunity!”

“I was accepted into the PrepareRI program as an alternate, with no guarantees that I would end up with an internship. That didn’t stop me from attending the Bootcamp training because I felt something good would come out of it, and it did. Luckily, I got placed at Home Health & Hospice Care of Nursing Placement through one of our networking lunches and I went from being shy to bursting out of my shell. It was my first job and the best part is that I was able to see what the real working environment is like – from good days to crazy days, and they ended up hiring me when the internship ended. All of the employees help each other and are as close as family. I want to give a special thank you to Nursing Placement for helping me outgrow my shyness and be able to share my ideas, but most of all for believing that I was and am a good fit for the job.”

“I had the opportunity to work at the Governor’s office, a transformative experience that taught me to not limit myself and give back to my community. I live on the South Side of Providence, a predominantly immigrant Hispanic community – minorities who are new to political nuances and uninformed due to language barriers. Through my internship I was tasked with disseminating information to the general public and educating the Hispanic community about decisions being made in our state. As a Latina immigrant I am not expected to be interested in government, but I learned to challenge those expectations during my internship and was empowered to speak and act in ways that serve my community so that they too can find their voice. As I go into college I will continue to stand up for those who are underrepresented and advocate for my community.”

“I worked for the same company for 17 years and had a hard time making ends meet. My boss denied my request for a raise and wouldn’t even give me health benefits. I tried to find a better job but without access to a computer it was hard. Bonnie at Skills RI helped me fix my resume, gave me access to a computer and helped me complete more difficult applications. Soon after, I ended up getting interviews at not one, but two different companies in the health care field. When CharterCARE offered me a position in the Environmental Services Department at Fatima Hospital, I was so excited to begin a new career. I now have a union job with a great schedule, overtime pay for weekend and holiday work, and health benefits for me and my family. It is a family-friendly place to work and feels great to be appreciated!”

“Before the PrepareRI program, I was shy and disassociated from group conversations. During my interview, I was shaking and stuttering, afraid of saying the wrong thing because I felt like my voice and opinions weren’t important. My internship at Tech Collective changed all of that. I was given many different assignments with deadlines and was invited to sit in on important meetings to take notes. I quickly got over my fears and feelings of intimidation around adults and felt more comfortable speaking in small group settings. I am proud of the progress I have made in my career and personal life and was thrilled to find out my coworkers were so impressed with my work they wanted me to stay on during the school year. PrepareRI opened up opportunities for me to get a glimpse of where I want to go in the future and I am thankful for the guidance and leadership opportunities.”

“I had been trying to get my life together and felt lost, looking for my place in the workforce and a chance at a career with potential for advancement. I met Duncan at SkillsRI and he connected me to the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Pre-Apprenticeship Program at CCRI in Newport. The experience I had with this program was incredible. I’ve made contacts and associations I would have never made otherwise and have learned things I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I have never been more proud of the accomplishments that I made through this program. Upon graduating, I was immediately hired to work at Bristol Marine and I’m extremely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead of me.”

“This summer I interned at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, reporting directly to both the Vice Presidents of Communications and Membership, where I was exposed to many different areas of the organization. Highlights included working on strategic advocacy efforts, attending board meetings, networking with members, and participating in round-tables with our federal delegation. It was a very unique opportunity for someone my age, especially meeting so many political figures! Experiencing firsthand what it is like to work in a professional setting will help me when I enter the work world in a few years, and for that I am grateful. Through the internship, I also realized that I want to major in law, which I would never have known without the PrepareRI program. I will be attending Roger Williams University in the fall and hope to have a great career!”

“I had never worked before and the idea of interviewing for a job at a big company made me really nervous. I tried to remember the things I had learned in our training – how to communicate and act professionally. Luckily, the VP from Gilbane who interviewed me put me at ease, and I had such a great experience working for him. Since I had always been interested in computer science, he explained to me the many different ways computers are used in the construction industry, things I had never thought about and found exciting. I am still in contact with my boss from Gilbane and because of this experience, I may pursue a career as a project manager at a construction firm or a cybersecurity analyst, so that I can protect companies like Gilbane. PrepareRI brought me out of my comfort zone, and I now have the confidence to pursue different opportunities.”

“After many years working as an executive assistant at a local company, the facility moved out of state and I was suddenly without a job. With years of experience and a recent college degree, I was confident I would quickly find a new position. Unfortunately, I was wrong and panic set in after 6 months of interviews where I was either told I was “overqualified” or was “one of the top two candidates”. It was so stressful worrying about making ends meet. I finally heard about SkillsRI and reached out for assistance. Within one week, I not only had a job interview, but I accepted an offer to be part of their team as the Executive Assistant! I am now happily employed and it feels great to work for an agency whose mission is to help Rhode Islanders who are facing the same struggles I once did.”