R 091

2016 -- S 2326 Enacted 03/03/2016

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING TO INCLUDE GREEN INDUSTRIES IN THE REAL JOBS RI PROGRAM

Introduced By: Senators P Fogarty, Metts, Nesselbush, Jabour, and Picard

Date Introduced: February 09, 2016

WHEREAS, It is essential to prepare our workforce to meet the demands of the green

economy; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Labor and Training has introduced Real Jobs RI, a

demand-driven workforce and economic development initiative that is collaborative, flexible and

business-led; and

WHEREAS, The program aims to address the skills gap across various industries in

Rhode Island, to identify a workforce shortage and to develop a plan with a coordinated solution;

and

WHEREAS, In July of 2015, the Department of Labor and Training awarded planning

grants of up to $25,000 to twenty-one recipient organizations; and

WHEREAS, Planning grant applicants were tasked with assembling a strategic industry

partnership, identifying the training, education, human resource and other solutions to address the

identified critical business needs, and developing a detailed workforce training and

implementation plan; and

WHEREAS, In November of 2015, twenty-six Strategic Industry Partnerships received

Implementation Grants totaling $5 million in federal and state funds; and

WHEREAS, These implementation grants provide funding that allows applicants to

execute developed workforce training plans that will address immediate, short-term, or long-term

shortages identified by the employed partners; and

WHEREAS, Successful plans lead to the hiring of participants by employer partners at

the conclusion of their training; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Department of Labor and Training to include green industries

partnerships in the next solicitation for Real Jobs RI and implementation grants; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate supports this as a first step towards minimizing the skills

gap across several green industries to help move Rhode Island's economy forward; and be it

further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

Labor and Training.

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LC004372

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