Grant Provides Occupational Skills Training to Unemployed Rhode Islanders
Providence, RI - Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced today that Rhode Island has been awarded $1.06 million to provide occupational skills training to 150-200 unemployed Rhode Islanders as part of a U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Dislocated Worker Training National Emergency Grant (NEG). Coordinated by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) and its partners, the Rhode Island grant was one of 30 awarded through a competitive grant solicitation.
"By offering training in the technical skills that Rhode Island employers desire, we are greatly improving the career prospects for many long-term unemployed," said Governor Chafee.
The RI NEG program, to be overseen by the state's local workforce investment boards, offers group and/or individual skills training in a classroom setting as well as on-the-job training in a work setting. All training will be in employment opportunities considered high-growth, high-demand and/or high-wage, as determined by the latest Labor Market Information research. Grant participants will also engage in job readiness activities, such as resume-writing, interviewing and job search skills workshops available through the netWORKri Career One-Stop System.
To be eligible, job seekers must be a dislocated worker and successfully complete basic skills assessments. Priority will be given to the long-term unemployed and veterans.
The program hopes to be operational later this summer. Those seeking more information should contact Laura Lee Costello at Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston at (401) 462-8902.