WHEREAS, Internships are a proven way for students to obtain practical work experience, strengthen their resumes, and learn important soft skills such as punctuality and teamwork. College students who participate in internships are more likely to receive a job offer after graduation, while businesses and organizations are able to access a pipeline of emerging talent; and

WHEREAS, bRIdge.jobs is a web-based internship resource that matches Rhode Island employers with talented students looking to gain professional experience; and

WHEREAS, An initiative of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority’s College Planning Center of Rhode Island, bRIdge.jobs brings together the combined resources of academia, business, and the community. Through bRIdge.jobs, Rhode Island’s businesses, institutions of higher education, and other organizations can introduce college students to career opportunities in specialized fields such as business, science, IT, technology, health, design, engineering, and manufacturing; and

WHEREAS, Through the bRIdge website, employers can post paid or unpaid internships online and directly reach out to a vast and talented pool of students in Rhode Island. This outstanding resource allows college students and recent graduates in the state to sign up and start looking for an appropriate professional learning opportunity in minutes; and

WHEREAS, Internships such as those that are communicated through bRIdge.jobs are valuable for students who have not yet entered into college. Motivated high school students who want to explore potential careers and understand the opportunities in different industries also stand to benefit from the networking that is made available through bRIdge.jobs; and

WHEREAS, To create a robust workforce pipeline in Rhode Island, as many career resources as possible need to be provided to our talented high school students; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests that bRIdge.jobs expand its program to allow interested high school students to access its resources; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate also respectfully requests that bRIdge.jobs partner with the Department of Labor and Training’s State Apprenticeship Council to ensure collaboration and increase job-embedded opportunities for our youth; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is directed and authorized to send a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority.