WARWICK, RI – U.S. Senator Jack Reed hailed a new $2.5 million federal grant to help the New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) in Rhode Island support job-driven training programs and focus on shipbuilding, marine trades, and advanced manufacturing industries.  Thanks to a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program, NEIT will add five additional industry-recognized credential programs to its existing two core programs. 

“This is a win for NEIT, a win for local workers looking to advance their careers, and a win for Rhode Island businesses looking to grow and hire skilled workers.   These are the kinds of partnerships – ones that create direct connections between colleges, employers, and potential employees -- that we need to replicate to put Rhode Islanders back to work and get our economy growing faster,” said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.  “The surest path to a better future is through investing in people.  This federal funding for Rhode Island not only helps us address immediate workforce needs, but also helps us reengineer our approach to job training.”

In 2013, NEIT was awarded $2.5 million in federal funding to establish the Shipbuilding/Marine and Advanced Manufacturing Institute (SAMI) to train unemployed Rhode Islanders.  The program includes work-readiness, career exploration, and academic and career advising followed by skills training.  The primary fields are welding and machining.  Employer partners include:  Electric Boat, Senesco Marine, Blount Boats, Guill Tool and Engineering Company, R.I. Carbide Tool Company, Swissline Precision Manufacturing, Porter Machine, Pilgrim Screw, and Maro Display.  To date, approximately 100 people have completed the program and 90 percent of them are employed.

Reed also worked to pass the law to expand resources for the Trade Adjustment Community College Career Training (TACCCT) program to support community colleges in developing demand-driven job training programs.  Both the Community College of Rhode Island and NEIT have received grants from the TACCCT program.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, this federal grant will help provide entry-level and advanced skills sought by the private sector partners to 200 Rhode Island program participants.   The funds will be used for a variety of activities, including:

  • hiring or training instructors to expand their capacity to offer in-demand courses or certifications,
  • leveraging online learning to accelerate skills attainment,
  • developing new curricula and training models to add additional classes and certifications,
  • purchasing new equipment to ensure students train on what employers actually use,
  • soliciting feedback from local employers and designing new programs based on their needs, and
  • expanding career pathways in which stackable credentials are linked to industry skills that lead participants to higher-skill jobs. 

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