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.
