News

SkillsRI Awarded $4 Million in Federal Funding from U.S. EDA to Establish Small Business Resource Hub

October 5, 2022

October 5, 2022—PROVIDENCE, RI—Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) announced today that it received $4 Million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance from the US Economic Development Administration. The Grant was secured with matching funds from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. The grant funds will be used to drive economic transformation and innovation for small and disadvantaged businesses through the creation of the Small Business Resource Hub.

The Small Business Resource Hub is a first-of-its-kind, one-stop resource for small and disadvantaged businesses to access a range of services, including legal, human resources, finance, bookkeeping, marketing, fundraising, strategic planning and more. While the Hub will service all small businesses across Rhode Island, a particular focus will be placed on women and minority-owned businesses and businesses in underserved communities.

“At SkillsRI, we know the key to a strong economic recovery in Rhode Island starts with small businesses,” said Nina Pande, Executive Director at Skills for Rhode Island’s Future. “With the creation of the Small Business Resource Hub, we will be able to provide critical services to small businesses that would otherwise be left with no other option than to close their doors. Our goal is to help small and disadvantaged businesses that often face barriers gain their footing, stabilize and scale, and ultimately, build strong, economically vibrant communities.”

“Supporting our state’s businesses has always been a top priority of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation,” said RI Secretary of Commerce Liz Tanner. “As a sign of our continued commitment to cultivating our small business community, we are happy to partner with SkillsRI on the establishment of the RI Small Business Resource Hub; an essential resource for entrepreneurs looking for assistance in strengthening and growing their business.”

About Skills for Rhode Island’s Future

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) is a non-profit working to match businesses that have current, unmet hiring needs with qualified, unemployed and underemployed Rhode Island job seekers. For more information, visit www.skillsforri.com.

About Rhode Island Commerce Corporation

As a quasi-public agency, the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is the official full-service, economic development organization for the state of Rhode Island. The Agency serves as a government and community resource to help businesses expand in, and relocate to, Rhode Island. For more information, please visit www.commerceri.com.

RI Lt. Governor Matos, Senator DePalma, Commissioner Shannon Gilkey, Representative Filippi and Local Leaders Speak to High School Students on Courageous Leadership and Confidence at RIC

June 27, 2022

As part of the 2022 PrepareRI internship program, SkillsRI is hosting two panel discussions with government officials and company executives to share their leadership lessons with students.

PROVIDENCE, RI – June 27, 2022 – Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (www.skillsforri.com), the statewide workforce intermediary and organizer of the PrepareRI high school internship program, is hosting two exciting, first-of-its-kind panel discussions on leadership for high school interns featuring government officials and executives across leading Rhode Island companies. The panel discussions, taking place Tuesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 30, will be held at Rhode Island College as part of the internship program’s “Bootcamp” week aimed at equipping interns with the critical professional skills needed to successfully navigate the workplace.

Since 2017, PrepareRI has placed over 1,700 Rhode Island public high school students into paid, career-aligned internships with employers across the state. With a focus on supporting students from underserved communities, the internship program aims to provide equitable access to experiential career learning opportunities for all Rhode Island students. This year, 225 students will return to in-person internships across 80 participating employers, including Amgen, United Way, Walgreens, Citizens Bank and more, after two years of virtual programming.

Prior to getting placed with an employer, students undergo a rigorous week of “Bootcamp” that includes professional development workshops, panel discussions and activities to both inspire students and provide them with the tactical skills to succeed in their internships. This year’s themes for the week include community, confidence, courage, career and connection.

The first leadership panel, taking place Tuesday, June 28 from 1:30pm to 2:45pm will focus on building career confidence. Participating panelists include:

Dr. Ara Millette, Director of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development at Lifespan
Hugh Clements, Chief of Police at the City of Providence
Rick Metters, Vice President at Fidelity Investments
Weaynnoh Nelson-Davies, Executive Director at RI Economic Progress Institute
Arnell Millhouse, CEO of Career Devs

The second leadership panel, taking place Thursday, June 20 from 1:30pm to 2:45pm will focus on courageous leadership in the face of conflict. Participating panelists include:

The Honorable Sabina Matos, Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor
The Honorable Lou DiPalma, Rhode Island State Senator
The Honorable Blake Filippi, Rhode Island State Representative
The Honorable Jorge Elorza, Mayor, City of Providence
The Honorable Roberto “Bob” DaSilva, Mayor, City of East Providence
The Honorable Maria Rivera, Mayor, City of Central Falls
Shannon Gilkey, Rhode Island Commissioner of Post-Secondary Education

The PrepareRI Internship Program is generously funded by the Governor’s Workforce Board, American Student Assistance, the Rhode Island Department of Education, Bank of America and the City of Providence. Program partners include Advancing Workplace Excellence (AWE), Financial Literacy Youth Intiative, Leadership Rhode Island (LRI) and Rhode Island College (RIC). For more information, visit skillsforri.com/welcome-to-prepareri.

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About PrepareRI

PrepareRI is a statewide initiative designed to prepare all Rhode Island students with the skills they need for jobs that pay. The PrepareRI Internship Program provides students opportunities to explore careers via workplace learning experiences through paid summer internships. It represents a strategic partnership between the Rhode Island government, private industry leaders, the public education system, universities, and non-profits across the state. For more information, visit skillsforri.com/welcome-to-prepareri.

About Skills for Rhode Island’s Future

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI) is a nonprofit organization that breaks down barriers to economic opportunity by connecting unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to jobs with socially responsible, civic-minded employers. As the statewide, demand-driven workforce intermediary, SkillsRI works to close the workforce skills gap in RI, drive business growth, and move unemployed/underemployed Rhode Islanders into open positions. For more information, visit www.skillsforri.com.

SkillsRI Introduces WorkABILITY Initiative

October 26, 2021

SkillsRI Introduces WorkABILITY Initiative to Close the Gap for People with Disabilities in the Rhode Island Workforce

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, SkillsRI’s WorkABILITY initiative, piloted in partnership with Tiffany & Co. (Cumberland) and Cargill (North Kingstown), aims to help employers establish and meet their D&I goals

SkillsRI is thrilled to announce the launch of the WorkABILITY initiative to help break down employment barriers faced by people with disabilities across Rhode Island. In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the WorkABILITY initiative aims to drive awareness around the untapped pool of talent of people with disabilities and support a more inclusive workforce in Rhode Island through consultative services that will help employers establish and meet their diversity and inclusion goals.

“Today, approximately 25 percent of the population in Rhode Island identifies as having an intellectual/developmental, mental health or physical disability. Unfortunately, this same population experiences a disproportionately higher rate of unemployment at approximately 80 percent. Research shows hiring people with WorkABILITY leads to higher rates of retention, increased productivity for employees, increased profitability, better company morale and much more. The WorkABILITY initiative aims to better educate employers and collaborate to build programs that support hiring for this untapped pool of talent.”

Nina Pande, Executive Director of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future

Through SkillsRI’s WorkABILITY initiative, employers can:

Access SkillsRI’s free consultative services to establish or meet diversity and inclusion goals, initiatives and education needs within their workforce
Collaborate with SkillsRI’s team of hiring professionals to identify prescreened, uniquely qualified candidates to fill existing roles within an organization
Build supported employment solutions and provide guidance in customizing roles as needed
Access supportive services for candidates through SkillsRI’s broad network of community partners and providers

As part of the launch of this initiative, SkillsRI has partnered initially with Tiffany & Co. (Cumberland, RI) and Cargill (North Kingstown) to help offer candidates the opportunity for long-term, sustainable local opportunities.

SkillsRI’s WorkABILITY initiative is a result of a groundswell of support from the Person-Centered Supported Employment Performance Program (PCSEPP), a statewide initiative funded by the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals aimed at building a more inclusive environment with better-integrated services for individuals with disabilities. The program, led by Perspectives Corporation, represents a collaborative partnership among provider agencies including SkillsRI, AccessPoint RI and the J. Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center. WorkABILITY has also garnered the support of the State of RI Office of Rehabilitation Services.

“Perspectives Corporation, along with many employers from across our state, values the full inclusion of Rhode Islanders with disabilities in the workplace. At a time when employers are seeking committed talent, we are proud to partner with Skills for Rhode Island’s Future to connect job seekers with local businesses. Rhode Islanders with disabilities are ready to meet our hiring needs.”

-Kim Einloth, COO of Perspectives Corporation.

“CPNRI is thrilled with the launch of this initiative and we are eager to engage with SkillsRI alongside the many great employer partners. This is a long-awaited system-wide approach to advancing the interests of Rhode Islanders with disabilities in employment and creating a more inclusive community in our state.”

-Tina Spears, Executive Director of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island

Employers interested in learning more about the WorkABILITY initiative and potentially getting involved can visit https://skillsforri.com/WorkABILITY.

Learn more about bringing WorkABILITY to your organization

SkillsRI Awarded $100K Grant by Microsoft

January 12, 2021

SkillsRI has been awarded a $100K grant by Microsoft to close the skills gap and upskill Rhode Islanders in the COVID-19 digital economy.

The grant will be used to provide access to free, digital learning courses across LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn and GitHub as part of SkillsRI’s online education hub, Skills Academy, with the goal of helping people acquire the necessary skills to successfully navigate in-demand career paths.

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI)—a nonprofit organization that connects unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to job opportunities and sustainable career pathways—today announced $100K in grant funding from Microsoft. The funding will be used to expand access to digital skills-based learning resources through SkillsRI’s new online learning hub, Skills Academy, and help people who have been hit the hardest by COVID-19 related job losses navigate a career path to an in-demand role.

The funding is part of Microsoft’s worldwide initiative to help 25 million people acquire the digital skills needed to be successful in the digital economy as well as Governor Gina Raimondo’s recently-announced workforce development initiative for Rhode Islanders displaced by COVID-19.

“The workforce is in a massive period of digital transformation” said Nina Pande, Executive Director of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future. “COVID-19 has drastically impacted employment rates, and as we help get Rhode Islanders back to work, ensuring they have the digital skills that are quickly becoming the foundation of almost every in-demand job is critical. Our partnership with Microsoft will enable us to continue combatting employment barriers for marginalized communities and help people acquire the skills needed to build sustainable careers that support strong economic mobility and will lead to a more inclusive workforce.”

Leveraging global employment data, Microsoft identified the 10 most in-demand jobs in today’s economy, developing free learning pathways for people to take courses and earn a certification that maps back to these roles. Learning pathways are available for the following career paths:

Software developer
Sales development representative
Project manager
Customer service specialist
Digital marketing specialist
IT support / Help desk technician
IT network administrator
Data analyst
Financial analyst
Graphic designer

In addition to the 10 learning pathways, Microsoft will also be offering two digital literacy courses that will serve as optional precursors to the pathways. Topics for these courses include “working with computers to create opportunity” and “working and collaborating online.”

“At Microsoft, we’re bringing every part of our company together to help Americans acquire the skills they need to fill 21st century jobs,” says Naria Santa Lucia, general manager of digital inclusion at Microsoft Philanthropies. “We’re excited to partner with the Skills for Rhode Island’s Future to utilize resources from Microsoft and LinkedIn to help people acquire the skills needed for in-demand jobs, helping Rhode Islanders get back to work.”

The 10 learning pathways and two digital literacy courses are available for free in English and Spanish starting today on Skills Academy, SkillsRI’s learning hub offering online courses, employer-sponsored training programs and workshops dedicated to upskilling Rhode Islanders and providing them with access to meaningful employment opportunities and upward economic mobility. Skills Academy users will have access to a career coach and those eligible for SkillsRI services will receive job placement support following the completion of their courses.

For more information and to get started today, visit academy.skillsforri.com.
To connect with a SkillsRI career coach today, email skillslearning@skillsforri.com.

Work-Based Learning Navigator Connects RI Students to Year-Round, Career Readiness Opportunities

December 22, 2020

Developed through a generous partnership with Fidelity Investments and Partnership for Rhode Island, the free online portal will match educators with Rhode Island employers to bring career learning into the classroom.

Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (SkillsRI)–the nonprofit organization that connects unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to job opportunities and sustainable career pathways–today announced the launch of the PrepareRI Work-Based Learning (WBL) Navigator in collaboration with the Governor’s Workforce Board (GWB) and Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). The free, online portal is designed to connect Rhode Island public and charter school students to year-round, meaningful work-based learning and career exploration opportunities in the classroom that will equip them with the skills needed to thrive in the workplace.

The WBL Navigator tool was built through a generous partnership with Fidelity Investments and Partnership for Rhode Island.

“Through our work with the PrepareRI high school and college internship programs, we’ve seen first-hand how work-based learning can help us fight inequities and ensure that every student has access to resources that will help them succeed in their careers.” said Nina Pande, Executive Director at SkillsRI. The new PrepareRI WBL Navigator will help us expand on our work to bring hands-on career learning activities into the classroom, effectively breaking down barriers and paving stronger career pathways for our future workforce.”

“Fidelity Investments is committed to making a difference in the lives of school-age children and teachers in the communities where we work and live by sharing our experience and resources to help deliver financial literacy programming, curriculum and activities, and the Navigator is the perfect extension of those efforts,” said Rick Metters, Head of Government Relations and Public Affairs in Rhode Island. “We were happy to work with Partnership for Rhode Island, the GWB and RIDE to develop a tool that delivers learning modules to increase knowledge and skill.”

In addition to the development of the Navigator, Fidelity Investments also recently partnered with SkillsRI–a nonprofit organization that connects unemployed and underemployed Rhode Islanders to job opportunities and sustainable career pathways–to recruit Rhode Islanders for a variety of entry-level positions in client services. As part of this initiative, Fidelity is committed to helping Rhode Islanders gain valuable experience, personal and professional growth and strong mentorship in the financial services industry.

Using the new PrepareRI WBL Navigator, Rhode Island employers can post virtual or in-person work-based learning and career exploration opportunities, called “resources,” and educators can search, browse and request resources based on their need. Skills for Rhode Island’s Future then serves as the intermediary that matches educator requests with relevant resources for their students.

Resources on the Navigator will include:

Career Exploration Resources

Career Fairs
Career Panels
Guest Speakers
Employer Advisor for CTE Programs
Mentorships
Job Shadows
Workplace Tours

Work-Based Learning Resources

Academic Year Internships
Employer or Industry-Specific Projects
Service-Learning Opportunities
Summer Internships
Teacher Externships
Work Readiness Career Enhancement Workshops

Resources organized and provided through the PrepareRI WBL Navigator can also be applied to the state’s requirement of 80 work-based learning hours for students.

“The need for work-based learning has never been more important,” said Scott Jensen, Director of Rhode Island’s Department of Labor and Training. “Our youth are entering a rapidly-transforming workforce, where new fields and ways of work are emerging. The Navigator will be a critical tool in bringing together the education, business and workforce development communities to connect the dots between traditional education and the current workforce for students as they build their vision for the future.”

“This incredible program will help connect our students and teachers with our business community and leaders,” said Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green. “The skills built and experiences provided by these work-based learning opportunities will help prepare students for career pathways in their future. We’re excited for the launch of this innovative and collaborative tool for our schools.”

The PrepareRI WBL Navigator will be piloted with a select group of employers and educators starting today, and will roll out to all Rhode Island employers and educators in the new year.

“We are very excited to launch the Navigator pilot,” said Tom Giordano, Executive Director of Partnership for Rhode Island, a nonprofit coalition of Rhode Island’s leading business executives. “This platform will provide valuable and unique work-based learning opportunities across the state resulting in hundreds of hours of interactions between professionals, teachers and their students. This type of collaboration is what builds the workforce of the future. “

Employers and educators can sign up on the PrepareRI Work-Based Learning Navigator at www.riwblnavigator.com. For more information and to speak with a Skills for Rhode Island’s Future team member, visit www.skillsforri.com/navigator.