Federal funds will help grow Blue Economy workforce in RI & southeastern MA
WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to strengthen Rhode Island’s workforce and create more high-paying ocean technology and ‘Blue Economy’ jobs, Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation today announced $3.8 million to support workforce development in ocean robotics, sensors, and materials industries to meet the demands of ocean-based technology companies and their extensive supply chains within the region.
U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that Ocean Tech Works, led by the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation, has been selected to receive a Good Jobs Challenge Grant.
Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), this federal job training initiative is designed to support economic development, connect people to good-paying jobs, and help underserved communities leverage regional assets. The program brings together private industry, state and local government, higher education, labor unions, nonprofit institutions, and other critical stakeholders to develop and grow innovative industries that stimulate economic growth and create good-paying jobs.
The emerging ocean-based economy is a key economic driver for the region and the nation, creating high-quality jobs locally, while simultaneously giving the United States a competitive advantage in a global market and securing our national interests. The Ocean Tech Works project is strategically aligned with the EDA-designated Ocean Tech Hub, centered in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, and will play a pivotal role in connecting new talent pipelines to high-demand jobs in advanced materials and composites, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.
“The Ocean Tech Works project exemplifies the collaborative spirit of both Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, uniting public, private, and educational institutions to address the workforce needs of the rapidly expanding ocean technology sector. This project will be poised to deliver great results that help more Rhode Islanders access good-paying jobs and contribute to the economic vitality of the region and nation as a whole,” said Reed, Whitehouse, Magaziner and Amo in a joint statement.
“We are honored to receive the EDA Good Jobs Award, made possible through the support of our federal delegation” said Christian Cowan, Executive Director of Polaris MEP. “Ocean Tech Works is a regional, collaborative workforce development program dedicated to filling immediate opportunities in ocean-based jobs. This initiative is a cornerstone of our region’s expanding Blue Economy ecosystem, and we are excited to implement these programs in partnership with our public and private collaborators.
With 2024 Good Jobs Challenge funding, Rhode Island’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center, Polaris MEP, will lead the coordination of a robust regional partnership that includes industry leaders such as New Bedford Research & Robotics and the RI Marine Trades Association, Community College of RI and Bristol Community College, UA Local 51 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union, workers’ rights organization Fuerza Laboral, and many others. This coalition will provide 400 individuals with free, accelerated skills training in occupations such as CNC machining, welding, composites, robotics, and remote-operated vehicles – positions for which local employers have indicated strong hiring needs. Additionally, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training and the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner will be critically engaged in coordinating and delivering services and wraparound support to participants.
