PROVIDENCE – The state Senate on Tuesday passed a measure to make the Real Jobs Rhode Island program permanent. The measure now moves to the House, where a similar bill stalled in committee last year.
The initiative, established in 1985, works with a network of employers, training providers and community organizations. It helps place new employees into immediate job openings, helps current employees to advance skills and remain competitive and supports business owners and entrepreneurs in advancing their ventures and creating pipelines of talent.
“Real Jobs Rhode Island has been one of the state’s greatest success stories,” said Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-North Providence, who introduced the bill. “Since it’s driven by actual industry experience, the program can correlate the needs of employers with the needs of workers and the talent of job trainers. It’s a win-win for everybody involved: Businesses can compete globally, workers can get the training and careers they want, and the state’s economy flourishes.”
The Senate passed a similar bill last year.
Currently, there are 34 Real Jobs RI partnerships. By the end of 2021, Real Jobs RI had served 12,827 participants and 1,814 businesses.
