New Registered Apprenticeship Hub will raise incomes and expand access to high-quality jobs for Rhode Islanders across multiple industries

Thank you to the RI Congressional Delegation, Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Representatives Amo and Magaziner for their advocacy in bringing this workforce investment to Rhode Island. Read the Delegation’s announcement here.

Today, Building Futures announced an award of more than $3.7M as part of the US Department of Labor Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) Grant Program to strengthen, modernize, expand, and diversify Registered Apprenticeship in Rhode Island. Grant resources will amplify Building Futures’ partnership with RIDLT as the Registered Apprenticeship Hub for Rhode Island to grow, diversify, and strengthen the Registered Apprenticeship (RA) system through support for public-private partnerships designed to serve a range of industries and individuals. Registered Apprenticeship Programs are a proven workforce development solution that translates training into careers.

“Expanding Rhode Island’s statewide Registered Apprenticeship Hub will bring new career opportunities for Rhode Islanders. New workers will benefit from earn-while-you-learn employment as part of Registered Apprenticeship Programs that lead to high-quality careers, such as those in early childhood and K-12 education, construction trades at the forefront of clean energy and a broad range of occupations in the public sector,” said Andrew Cortés, President & CEO of Building Futures. “This project brings together the right mix of public and private partners to meet our state’s workforce challenges, specifically focusing on developing good careers for underrepresented populations.”

“Our Rhode to Prosperity initiative is focused on closing the income gap in Rhode Island. Registered apprenticeships are an important part of the education and workforce training system, providing proven pathways to success,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Collaboration with employers, educational institutions, and community stakeholders is pivotal to elevating Rhode Islanders’ income and personal wealth. Together, we will ensure Rhode Island emerges as a leader in economic advancement, where every resident has the opportunity to thrive.”

“Registered Apprenticeship is a proven workforce development strategy to raise incomes and equitably close gaps in our workforce. Investment in Rhode Island’s Apprenticeship Hub will power RA programs in many occupations to serve as the spokes that make the wheel of our state economy turn,” said RIDLT Director Matt Weldon.

Over the next four years, the ABA grant program will enable Building Futures to provide technical and financial assistance to develop and expand a diverse array of Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs) while strengthening RA system capacity. State and municipal agencies face talent development challenges just as other employers do. The RA model effectively solves these challenges equally in the public and private sectors.

Program Opportunities

K-12 Education

A state-level partnership of the RI Institute for Labor Studies and Research (ILSR), the RI AFL-CIO, the RI Federation of Teachers & Health Professionals (RIFTHP), the National Education Association/RI (NEARI) and RI College (RIC) in collaboration with district Labor and management leadership from five RI school districts, Central Falls, Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket and West Warwick, is developing Rhode Island’s first teacher apprenticeship programs in collaboration with RI Department of Education. ILSR will administer subrecipient funds on behalf of the partnership. ILSR’s Teacher Assistant/Emerging Educators program has successfully trained teacher assistants for fifteen years. The partnership also will certify teacher pipeline programs as pre-apprenticeship programs with the State Apprenticeship Program building on their Pathway to Teaching initiative which focuses on high school students.

“On behalf of the RI AFL-CIO, the Institute for Labor Studies and Research, the RIFTHP, and NEARI, I am thrilled to hear that our plan to develop a Registered Apprenticeship in Teaching will be funded as part of Building Futures’ receipt of a Hub grant from US DOL. This program will play an important role in addressing RI’s teacher shortages and providing a diverse pool of well-prepared educators for RI schools,” said Colleen Callahan, Ed.D., Education Consultant for the Institute of Labor Students and Research.

“The R.I. Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals are elated to be receiving this Registered Apprenticeship grant to continue our work to build and diversify the educator workforce in Rhode Island,” said President Frank Flynn of the RI Federation of Teachers. “The RIFTHP, along with our partners, are anxious to work with Building Futures to create and implement a world-class RA model to recruit and retain the educators our state needs now and into the future.”

“Over the last few years, we have learned how many Teacher Assistants want to become certified teachers, and we’ve learned of the barriers that often stand in their way,” said Robert Delaney, Executive Director of the Institute for Labor Studies and Research.  “Many of our TAs have Bachelor’s or Advanced degrees from other countries but must complete course and field work to become certified to teach. Others have years of successful experience as TAs but cannot afford to leave their jobs to complete certification requirements. This grant will enable the Institute to expand our support for these individuals through a rigorous Registered Apprenticeship Program, including course completion through RI College, on-the-job field experience with gradual increased responsibility and compensation, and mentor support from our district and organizational partners.”

“RIDE has been working to address the educator workforce challenges Rhode Island is facing like communities across the nation, and we are pleased that our state has secured resources to launch Rhode Island’s first teacher apprenticeships programs,” said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “As we work to continue to improve student outcomes post-pandemic, we know that we need to bolster the Ocean State’s educator pool through innovative efforts. We remain committed to working closely with our state and industry partners to develop and implement pathways to attract, develop, and promote world-class teaching talent.”

K-12 education offers many opportunities for RAP development. In fact, RIDE is seeking to develop an apprenticeship program for school principals. Expansion of Teacher Apprenticeship programs is anticipated beyond the initial five school districts.

Public Sector Registered Apprenticeship Programs

Expanding Registered Apprenticeship in the public sector is a crucial strategy of the Hub, allowing for effective and scalable worker-centered workforce innovations. Over four years, Building Futures will partner with municipal, state, and quasi-state agencies, including the City of Providence Parks Department, RI Department of Human Services, RI Department of Transportation, RI Department of Environmental Management, and the RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority to expand Registered Apprenticeship programs in high-wage and high-opportunity occupations. Each notes difficulty in hiring and retaining qualified workers across a wide variety of occupations, including forestry workers, arborists, construction laborers, electricians, maintenance technicians, natural resources managers, and early childhood educators.

DHS designed, registered, and launched an early childhood educator RAP, RI’s first – and currently only – public sector registered apprenticeship program. This program is administered through the RI Association for the Education of Young Children. By expanding the RAP to more child care centers, new early childhood educators will enter the workforce with increased earning power, and Rhode Islanders will gain much-needed options for care. Openings for early childhood educators in RI are projected at 4,048 by 2030, according to DLT projections.

“DHS is proud to partner with Building Futures to help strengthen the early child care sector by giving early educators additional training, resources and tools to provide high-quality learning experiences for our state’s youngest learners,” said DHS Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito. “With expanded training, this critical workforce will see more competitive wages that will also help open the doors to more child care opportunities for families across the state.”

Clean Energy Infrastructure

Rhode Island’s building and construction trades workers are building the energy infrastructure needed to reach Rhode Island’s climate goals, and they need clean energy and energy efficiency certifications to do so. With thousands of job openings projected by 2030 and an older workforce, RI urgently needs to expand its skilled construction trade workforce and train new workers in skills specific to the clean energy economy, from offshore wind to building energy efficiency and infrastructure electrification. The Registered Apprenticeship Hub will provide funds for specialized skills training to trade apprentices at the Finishing Trades Institute of Southern New England of IUPAT DC 11, the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund, and the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 99.

“Through Building Futures, apprentices at IBEW Local 99 will gain Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification– vital training to ensure Rhode Island can build out electric vehicle infrastructure to the highest quality and safety standards and ensure a strong, environmentally sustainable economic future for RI workers and the state,” said Joe Walsh, Business Manager for IBEW Local Union 99

“Today, building energy efficiency is maintained by complex building envelope systems. Ensuring New England apprentices earn the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician (AGMT) certification gives workers a competitive edge. This provides the industry the knowledge to recognize the most qualified workers and assure our clean energy future.” Michael Komaromi, Director of Training of the Finishing Trades Institute of Southern New England.

“With construction underway on offshore wind farms and project expansions planned, it is crucial that today’s apprentices earn industry-specific rigging and safety training. US DOL funding through Building Futures will ensure apprentices earn essential maritime and offshore training to build our future on renewable energy,” said Dennis Lassige, Regional Manager at North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.