Cutting-Edge Composites Training Program is Launched in R.I.
March 7, 2008 | Print this page | Share This | Email this page
Public/private partners team up to deliver workforce training program for RI’s boat builders
The Rhode Island Economic Development (RIEDC) in conjunction with the New England Institute of Technology announced today open enrollment in a federally funded workforce development program targeting the marine trades industry in the Ocean State. The Composite Repair & Boat Construction Training program is an intensive 12-week program aimed at increasing the number of qualified employees who have an expertise working with composite materials.
Funding from the US Dept. of Labor and the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will underwrite the cost for each qualifying Rhode Island citizen participating in this program in total and is valued at $3,200.
Supporting growth in high wage industries such as the marine trades is a core component of RIEDC’s Economic Growth Plan, which seeks to increase the percentage of jobs in Rhode Island that pay above the national average wage of $42,000 from 40 to 60 percent. The plan also calls for a series of programs to improve the skills and experience of Rhode Island’s workforce so that every Rhode Island worked is able to participate in the state’s changing economy. RIEDC’s collaboration with the New England Institute of Technology, Goetz Custom Boats, New England Boatworks, C&C Fiberglass, Pearson Composites, Monsiaco CDC and the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association is a strong example of this principle in action. Representatives from the marine trades industry played an active role in developing the curriculum for this program working with the faculty from the New England Institute of Technology.
“Creating a 21st century innovation workforce which can meet the demands of high-wage sectors, such as the marine trades, is an essential component of the state’s Economic Growth Plan,” according to Saul Kaplan, executive director, RIEDC. “Responding to the needs of companies poised for growth is a driving imperative for our agency.”
Rhode Island is home to one of the great marine industry centers in the world. Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound provide a first-class setting for boat and ship building, marine electronics, environmental research and development, fisheries, aquaculture and more. The industry is comprised of more than 800 companies and more than 10,000 highly skilled employees. From the small niche players to larger global firms, these companies are setting gold standards for innovation in the marine trades sector.
“This program reflects a commitment on behalf of the state to deliver in a focused and coordinated way a workforce development program that we, as an industry, were able to assist in the curriculum development,” stated Eric Goetz, President, Goetz Custom Boats. “As one of the world’s preeminent builders of composite yachts we need access to the highest skilled workforce available in order to keep our competitive edge.”
“Our institution has expertise in developing such training programs on a national level,” said Steve Kitchin, Vice President, Corporate Education and Training at New England Institute of Technology. “We are pleased to have worked with state officials and leaders within the marine trades industry to create a targeted curriculum which meets the demands and needs of this important sector of the Rhode Island economy. The skill sets being developed through this program also have broad applications in other sectors such as renewable energy (i.e., wind blade manufacturing), which will contribute to our state’s ability to attract and retain employers whose companies have expertise working with composite materials.”
The Composite Repair & Boat Construction Training Program will run from March 31-June 30, 2008 at Goetz Custom Boats, located at 115 Broad Common Rd., Bristol, RI.
For more information on the Composite Repair & Boat Construction Training Program, or to register for course, please contact Fred Santaniello, New England Institute of Technology, or call 1-800-736-7744, ext. 3382
