Rhode Island Bankrolls Ready 4 Offshore Wind

Ready 4 Offshore Wind, a project led by the U.S. Business Network for Offshore Wind, has been selected to receive a part of a USD 1.6 million funding from the Rhode Island government.

The project is among 12 partnerships announced by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) and Governor Gina M. Raimondo to receive implementation grants as part of expanding the Real Jobs Rhode Island program.

Ready 4 Offshore Wind will create opportunities for local businesses to enter the offshore wind industry through training and business services, DLT said.

It is expected to educate businesses about the supply chain and their roles in project development through the Network’s proprietary Foundation to Blade training.

According to DLT, the 12 partnerships will be supported by more than 160 employer partners and will connect hundreds of persons with employment and training opportunities in the energy, bioscience, finance and insurance, food processing and manufacturing, healthcare and information technology industries.

“Real Jobs Rhode Island has served almost 6,000 Rhode Islanders, helping them get the skills they need to compete in a rapidly-changing economy,” said Raimondo.“Our employer-centered model allows Rhode Island employers to directly train future employees for good-paying jobs and is a critical element of our success.”

Launched in 2015, the Real Jobs Rhode Island is a federally funded, competitive workforce and economic development grant program.

The new grantees join the program’s network of strategic, employer-led, industry partnerships that develop customized solutions to address workforce challenges of the high-demand and high-wage industries.