GWB update

Lincoln D. Chafee, Governor   

Constance A. Howes, JD, FACHE, Chair 

Rick Brooks, Executive Director                                  

June 23, 2014

Enrollment opens for RI's first manufacturing apprenticeship program for CNC machinists


Enrollment is now open for RI's first

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee signed paperwork to approve the CNC machinist apprenticeship at the GWB Annual Meeting in May 2014.

 registered apprenticeship program in manufacturing, which will train computer numerically controlled (CNC) machinists. Both individuals and employers looking to obtain skills training for an employee can participate in the CNC Machinist Registered Apprenticeship-a new program made possible by funding from the GWB.

 

"This CNC apprenticeship program is a first step in a larger effort to create high-wage, high-skill manufacturing career tracks for Rhode Islanders while also building the talented workforce our manufacturing sector needs to operate and grow their businesses," said Ruth Gobeille, communications manager for Polaris MEP, which operates as the Manufacturing Industry Partner of the GWB. 

 

To learn more about the program and applying for the apprenticeship as an individual or a sponsoring employer, view the full press release or read the recent Providence Journal article.

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GWB hosts annual meeting "Investing in the Future"

 

Learning through Experience
Investing in the Future
Nearly 200 people attended the Governor's Workforce Board annual meeting, which highlighted the Board's accomplishments, on May 15 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick.

  

The morning's festivities included, the debut of the new GWB video "Investing in the Future", a presentation of the GWB Innovation Award to Tunstall Americas, official approval of the CNC machinist apprenticeship program by Governor Chafee, and a panel discussion on the GWB Work Immersion Program.

  

To learn more about the event, view photos, and review the materials distributed, visit the Annual Meeting 2014 page on the GWB website.

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GWB Healthcare Industry Partners publish skills gap report 

 

On May 19, 2014, the three GWB Healthcare Industry Partners - Healthcentric Advisors, Stepping Up, and the Hospital Association (HARI) - released a collaborative skills gap study report on the healthcare industry in Rhode Island.

 

The 32-page analysis highlights that healthcare is the fastest growing industry in Rhode Island, employs a plurality of Rhode Islanders, and that our workforce is not yet prepared to fill current and anticipated demand for healthcare professionals. Recommendations to students, unemployed Rhode Islanders, employers, and education facilities are given in the full report.

 

The most significant skills gaps were found in soft skills. The research and results also emphasize the importance of bachelor's-prepared nurses and forecasts growth in many entry-level positions.

 

Read the full report.

100 RI businesses benefit from the GWB Work Immersion Program
 
The GWB Work Immersion Program has contracted with 100 local businesses to provide more than $280,000 in partial reimbursements for paid internships and temporary work experiences for college students and unemployed adults.

One year after the program was initiated by Governor Chafee and adopted into law by the RI General Assembly, the program continues to grow at a rapid pace.
 
View the College Student Summary or Unemployed Adults Summary for more information. To apply for the program, visit the GWB's Work Immersion page. 
Director's Blog
 
 
Read Executive Director Rick Brooks' latest post about manufacturing workforce development. 
About the Governor's Workforce Board 
Rhode Island
 
The Governor's Workforce Board is the primary policy-making board for Rhode Island workforce development. Since its inception in 2005, the board has invested more than $80 million in initiatives that improve the existing skill base of the workforce and anticipate the future needs of growing and emerging businesses.
  
GOVERNOR'S WORKFORCE BOARD
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