“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!”