PROVIDENCE, RI – Strengthening Rhode Island’s economy requires investing in its future workforce, preparing diverse candidates for the jobs of tomorrow, and connecting them with employers.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed joined students, stakeholders, and community leaders at the Center for Southeast Asians (CSEA) to discuss workforce initiatives aimed at helping new Rhode Islanders increase access to good-paying jobs and ensure local employers have a skilled workforce that reflects the communities they serve.

Senator Reed delivered a $250,000 federal earmark in the fiscal year 2023 appropriations law to support CSEA’s Skills-Up Program. This innovative 3-year workforce training program is being undertaken in collaboration with key state-wide community partners – including local colleges and universities – to create and implement a customized, multi-faceted workforce training program with the goal of creating self-sustaining opportunities and career paths for job seekers and strengthening the region’s pipeline of skilled and diverse workers to support the growth of local businesses.

“A skilled and capable workforce is essential to Rhode Island’s success.   I’m pleased to deliver targeted federal investments like this grant for CSEA’s Skills-Up program.  I commend the Center for Southeast Asians for their commitment to our community.  They do outstanding work connecting people to resources and opportunity and have a proven track record of helping newly arrived Rhode Islanders from Southeast Asia, Asia, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and other places overcome challenges and cultural barriers,” said Senator Reed.  “The Center’s workforce readiness training programs offer customized workforce training to help people start new, in-demand jobs or advance their careers and works in tandem with Rhode Island businesses and industries that are experiencing growth and looking to hire,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.

“The Center for Southeast Asians plays a pivotal role in supporting the community. We are always looking for new opportunities to grow and make new partners to bring the best resources and supports to all of our community members,” said CSEA Executive Director Channavy Chhay.

Today, Senator Reed joined Channavy Chhay, executive director of CSEA, students, teachers, staff, and community partners to discuss the organization’s workforce readiness training program and how the federal earmark secured by Reed has helped stimulate further growth of the programming.

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The discussion was focused on the impact of increased job training opportunities in areas such as manufacturing; homecare and homemaking; restaurant and food service entrepreneurship; and more.  It also touched on the importance of financial literacy and adult literacy courses, which are baked into Skills-Up, to help ensure all graduates have the skills they need to succeed.

The Center for Southeast Asians (CSEA) is a community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization headquartered in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence. It was founded in 1987 to serve four communities – Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese – which emerged in the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s, when refugees from Southeast Asia fled the violence unleashed by the Vietnam War. Today, CSEA is the only comprehensive social service organization focused on addressing the needs of all Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants living in Rhode Island. 

Over the years, CSEA has expanded to serve other ethnic minority communities, including a sizable Latino population, black and new refugees and immigrants from other regions. The vast majority of the 6,900+ individuals that CSEA serves directly each year are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Most CSEA clients are low-income, with 90% eligible for government programs, such as SNAP, RIWORKS (TANF), and Medicaid. 

Providing a wide range of multi-generational direct services, which include job training and adult literacy programs, small business development, case management, assistance to victims of crime, public health outreach, ESL and citizenship classes, a nutrition program for seniors, free tax preparation services, food stamps outreach and enrollment, transitional housing, and health insurance navigation and enrollment, CSEA is engaged in advocacy and research to affect system change and inform public policy development.