R.I. receives $5M American Apprenticeship Initiative Grant

GOV. GINA M. Raimondo said the $5 million grant will help people get jobs and attract businesses to Rhode Island. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
GOV. GINA M. Raimondo said the $5 million grant will help people get jobs and attract businesses to Rhode Island. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island has received a $5 million American Apprenticeship Initiative Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to improve worker training, and Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said it will help people get jobs and attract businesses to Rhode Island.
The co-applicants of the grant were the R.I. Department of Labor and Training and The Providence Plan.
“I hear often from employers who are looking for talented staff and who say that a skilled workforce is their number one priority,” Raimondo said in a statement. “This apprenticeship grant marks another opportunity to invest in helping people build the skills they need to succeed.”
According to information from the governor’s office, registered apprenticeship programs are a core component of Raimondo’s strategy to align the state’s economic and workforce development actions with employer needs.
In addition, the grant will help expand and replicate the state’s current apprenticeship model to new industry sectors, a press release stated.
“Our success in obtaining this grant is due to excellent coordination and support from our state’s Congressional delegation,” Raimondo said. “We greatly appreciate their continued advocacy on behalf of Rhode Island and getting people back to work.”
Rhode Island has received separate U.S. Department of Labor grants of $5.2 million and $3 million to promote the governor’s workforce development strategy.
“Apprenticeships provide a proven pathway for workers to learn advanced skills and earn higher wages without accumulating mountains of student loan debt. This federal grant will help ProvPlan and DLT team up to expand opportunities for workers, enhance skills training, and eliminate barriers to employment. It also provides employers with a solid pipeline of skilled workers,” U.S. Sen. Jack F. Reed said.

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