Programs

  • Building Futures Pre-Apprenticeship Program

    BUILDING FUTURES -BUILDING FUTURES OPERATES A COMPREHENSIVE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP MEN AND WOMEN PREPARE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN ONE OF A DOZEN BUILDING TRADE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS INCLUDING ELECTRICIANS, CARPENTERS, PLUMBERS, IRON WORKERS, PAINTERS, AND LABORERS. BUILDING FUTURES' 200-HOUR HANDS-ON PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FOCUSES ON BASIC COMPETENCIES NEEDED ACROSS ALL CONSTRUCTION TRADES. THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM ARE RECRUITMENT, ORIENTATION, APPLICATION, ASSESSMENTS, CONSTRUCTION TRAINING, CONSTRUCTION MATH, PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CAREER GUIDANCE, PLACEMENT, AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION AND SUPPORT SERVICES. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, BUILDING FUTURES ALSO OFFERS AN ELECTIVE PROGRAM IN HOME BUILDING THAT PROVIDES AN EXTENDED HANDS-ON TRAINING OPPORTUNITY BUILDING MODEL ENERGY-EFFICIENT AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. FURTHER, THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES A 3-WEEK ELECTIVE IN INDUSTRIAL WELDING FOR GRADUATES OF THE 200-HOUR PRE-APPRENTICESHIP; THIS IS A CERTIFICATION COURSE TAUGHT BY A NATIONALLY CERTIFIED WELDING INSTRUCTOR. TOGETHER THESE TRAININGS ARE DESIGNED TO PREPARE GRADUATES FOR ENTRY AND SUCCESS IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS IN CONSTRUCTION. ALL SERVICES ARE AT NO COST TO TRAINEES.IN FISCAL 2022, WITH THE DECLINING IMPACTS OF COVID, BUILDING FUTURES WAS ABLE TO RESUME FULL ENROLLMENT IN ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS, WITH AN ANNUAL MINIMUM TARGET OF 30-35. WHILE ENROLLED FULL-TIME, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A TRAINING ALLOWANCE TO ENSURE RETENTION AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM. GRADUATES EARN MULTIPLE INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS THAT HELP ENSURE ENTRY IN THEIR CHOSEN TRADE. ALL GRADUATES ARE GUIDED IN CHOOSING THE BUILDING TRADE OCCUPATION THAT BEST FITS THEIR INTERESTS AND ABILITIES. GRADUATES ARE ASSISTED IN PREPARING FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ENTRANCE EXAMS AND INTERVIEWS, AND RECEIVE SUPPORT SERVICES AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THEIR FIRST YEAR OF APPRENTICESHIP AND BEYOND. TO DATE, BUILDING FUTURES COMPLETED 376 JOB PLACEMENTS, INCLUDING 361 IN CONSTRUCTION REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS. 42% HAVE COMPLETED THEIR APPRENTICESHIPS AND ARE NOW JOURNEY WORKERS IN THEIR SELECTED TRADE. THUS FAR, OUR GRADUATES ARE MAINTAINING A 76% RETENTION RATE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. WITH EMPLOYER AND TRADE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM PARTNERS, BUILDING FUTURES HAS CONTINUED TO REFINE AND EXPAND ITS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, AND HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS BEST PRACTICES BY MANY, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.IN ONGOING EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR CONSTRUCTION APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS INCREASED ITS FOCUS ON RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, PLACEMENT AND RETENTION OF WOMEN IN THE TRADES, BOTH BY ESTABLISHING AN ALUMNI LEADERSHIP WORKING GROUP TO ASSIST WITH OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT, AND VIA A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR WOMEN TRAINEES AND GRADUATES. THUS FAR, 10% OF OUR GRADUATES HAVE BEEN WOMEN; THIS IS WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION. 76% OF OUR PLACED GRADUATES HAVE BEEN BIPOC, 48% JUSTICE INVOLVED, AND 36% FORMERLY INCARCERATED.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.4M

  • American Apprenticeship Initiative

    AMERICAN APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVE -APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND ("ARI"), BUILDING FUTURES' INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RI DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND TRAINING, IS AN EFFORT TO EXPAND THE USE OF REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP IN HIGH GROWTH NON-CONSTRUCTION OCCUPATIONS AND INDUSTRIES. BUILDING FUTURES SERVES AS THE STATE'S APPRENTICESHIP INTERMEDIARY, PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES TO EMPLOYERS TO BOTH DESIGN, LAUNCH AND OPERATE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR OCCUPATIONS IN HEALTH CARE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, MARINE TRADES, LANDSCAPE HORTICULTURE, AND OTHERS.TO DATE, APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND HAS WORKED WITH 130 EMPLOYERS AND 11 MULTI-EMPLOYER SPONSORS. CUMULATIVELY THESE PROGRAMS HAVE EMPLOYED AND TRAINED 2,000 APPRENTICES. NEW REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP DEVELOPMENT IS UNDERWAY IN THESE AREAS: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS, TEACHER ASSISTANTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND LICENSED SCHOOL TEACHERS. BUILDING FUTURES IS ALSO EXPANDING ITS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT RA SPONSORS IN DEVELOPING RIGOROUS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STANDARDS IN RA THAT INCLUDE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ("DEI") GOALS AND MENTORSHIP TRAININGS THAT SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF RA.THESE ACTIVITIES REFLECT A NATURAL EXPANSION OF BUILDING FUTURES' WORK TO BETTER ACHIEVE ITS MISSION WHILE REPLICATING ITS EFFECTIVE WORK IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ASSISTING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DESIGN, LAUNCH AND OPERATE NEW PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS SIMILAR TO THE BUILDING FUTURES MODEL FOR CONSTRUCTION. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, BUILDING FUTURES HELPS PREPARE LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS FOR PLACEMENT IN THESE NON-TRADITIONAL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS SPONSORED BY ARI AND ITS EMPLOYER PARTNERS. FINALLY, THE APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND INITIATIVE PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT INTERMEDIARY ROLE RELATED TO EXPANDING AND IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF THE STATE'S APPRENTICESHIP AGENCY. WITH A FOCUS ON SERVING UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS, BUILDING FUTURES SEEKS TO ALIGN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS TO EFFECTIVELY CONNECT PEOPLE TO REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP. INTEGRATION EFFORTS IMPACT AND INCLUDE K THROUGH 12 AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, THE PUBLIC WORKFORCE SYSTEM AND, IMPORTANTLY, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ALIGN SERVICES AND ESTABLISH NEW QUALITY PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. IN 2020, THIS INITIATIVE WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $606.6K

  • Program 1 [2024]

    BUILDING FUTURES -BUILDING FUTURES' MISSION IS ACHIEVED THROUGH PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING AND SOCIAL SERVICE SUPPORTS FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING POVERTY WHO SEEK CAREERS IN THE BUILDING TRADES THROUGH REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP; AND STRATEGIES TO INCREASE EMPLOYER USE OF APPRENTICES ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS; AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO NON-CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS WHO WISH TO DEVELOP, LAUNCH, AND OPERATE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS IN OTHER HIGH-GROWTH SECTORS.BUILDING FUTURES OPERATES A COMPREHENSIVE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP ADULTS PREPARE FOR EMPLOYMENT IN ONE OF MANY DIFFERENT BUILDING TRADE APPRENTICESHIPS, INCLUDING ELECTRICIANS, CARPENTERS, PLUMBERS, IRON WORKERS, PAINTERS, AND LABORERS AMONG OTHERS. ITS 200-HOUR HANDS-ON PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FOCUSES ON BASIC COMPETENCIES NEEDED ACROSS ALL CONSTRUCTION TRADES. THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM ARE RECRUITMENT, ORIENTATION, APPLICATION, ASSESSMENTS, CONSTRUCTION TRAINING, SUPPLEMENTAL ELECTIVE TRAININGS, CONSTRUCTION MATH, PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CAREER GUIDANCE, PLACEMENT AND EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION, AND SUPPORT SERVICES. ALL SERVICES ARE AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS.WHILE ENROLLED FULL-TIME, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A TRAINING ALLOWANCE TO ENSURE RETENTION AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM COMPLETION. GRADUATES EARN MULTIPLE INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS THAT HELP ENSURE ENTRY IN THEIR CHOSEN TRADE. ALL GRADUATES RECEIVE GUIDANCE WHILE CHOOSING THE TRADE OCCUPATION THAT BEST FITS THEIR INTERESTS AND ABILITIES, ASSISTANCE WHILE PREPARING FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM INTERVIEWS AND ENTRANCE EXAMS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGHOUT THEIR FIRST YEAR OF APPRENTICESHIP AND BEYOND. TO DATE, 549 PARTICIPANTS GRADUATED FROM BUILDING FUTURES' PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDING 38 IN FY24. ELECTIVE TRAININGS FOR RECENT BF 200 GRADUATES SUPPLEMENT THE SKILLS BUILDING OF THE CORE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, FURTHER PREPARING GRADUATES FOR ENTRY AND SUCCESS IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS. THE GRADUATE SERVICE LEARNING (GSL) ELECTIVE ALLOWS GRADUATES TO PARTICIPATE IN A RANGE OF HANDS-ON COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. IN FY24, TRAINEES CONSTRUCTED A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME WITH THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS, ERECTED A SHED AT A TREE NURSERY, AND PLANNED OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS, INCLUDING A NEW WILDLIFE HABITAT AT ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO. A SECOND ELECTIVE TRAINING, HELD THREE TIMES PER YEAR, IS A 3-WEEK CERTIFICATION COURSE IN INDUSTRIAL WELDING TAUGHT BY A NATIONALLY CERTIFIED WELDING INSTRUCTOR. TOGETHER THESE ELECTIVES AUGMENT THE CORE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN PREPARING GRADUATES FOR ENTRY AND SUCCESS IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS. IN FY24, 20 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN GSL, AND ANOTHER 18 COMPLETED WELDING CERTIFICATION TRAINING. TO DATE, 435 PRE-APPRENTICESHIP GRADUATES HAVE ENTERED EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING 420 THAT ENTERED CONSTRUCTION THROUGH REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS; 42 GRADUATES ENTERED CONSTRUCTION REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS IN FY24 ALONE. TO DATE, 40% OF BUILDING FUTURES GRADUATES HAVE COMPLETED THEIR APPRENTICESHIPS (3-5 YEARS IN DURATION), AND ARE NOW JOURNEY WORKERS IN THEIR SELECTED TRADE OCCUPATION. BUILDING FUTURES PRE-APPRENTICESHIP GRADUATES HAVE MAINTAINED A 75% RETENTION RATE IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE. WITH EMPLOYER AND TRADE APPRENTICESHIP PARTNERS, BUILDING FUTURES CONTINUES TO REFINE AND EXPAND ITS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, AND HAS BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR ITS BEST PRACTICES BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND OTHERS.RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION OF WOMEN IN THE TRADES IS PART OF BUILDING FUTURES' ONGOING EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR TRADE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. BUILDING FUTURES' ALUMNAE LEADERSHIP WORKING GROUP ASSISTS WITH OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT. BUILDING FUTURES SUPPORTS PRE-APPRENTICESHIP ALUMNAE IN DEVELOPING THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND WORKING WITHIN THEIR UNIONS TO SUPPORT WOMEN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL NORTH AMERICA'S BUILDING TRADE UNIONS CONFERENCE, TRADESWOMEN BUILD NATIONS. IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUESTS OF GRADUATES WHO HAVE WORKED IN THE FIELD AS JOURNEY WORKERS, AND NOW SEEK TO BEGIN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AS CONTRACTORS, BUILDING FUTURES EXPANDED ITS NEW WBE/MBE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CLASS IN FY24. WITH SUPPORT FROM THE RI ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS, BUILDING FUTURES ENGAGED A CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS LEADER TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR GRADUATES. THE PROGRAM'S INTENSIVE CURRICULUM COVERS THE ESTABLISHMENT AND REGISTRATION OF A BUSINESS, THE BASICS OF OPERATING A BUSINESS, REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO BECOME A CONTRACTOR, RAISING CAPITAL AND MANAGING CASH FLOW, AND GROWING A CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS. EXPERT PRESENTERS AND COACHES OFFER INSIGHTS FROM THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, AND ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION AND CRITICAL THINKING. IN FY24, NINE BUILDING FUTURES GRADUATES AND SEVERAL OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, AND MANY WENT ON TO PURSUE MBE/WBE CERTIFICATION. BUILDING FUTURES IS THE STATEWIDE MULTI-CRAFT CORE CURRICULUM (MC3) INTERMEDIARY FOR THE RHODE ISLAND BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL. MC3 IS A NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP READINESS CURRICULUM DEVELOPED BY NORTH AMERICA'S BUILDING TRADES UNIONS AND TRADESFUTURES. THIS CURRICULUM OFFERS AN INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL AND EXPOSURE TO BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADE OPTIONS THAT BEGIN WITH REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP. ALL BUILDING FUTURES PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND BUILDING FUTURES INSIDE APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PARTICIPANTS EARN THE MC3 ALONG WITH OTHER CREDENTIALS. BUILDING FUTURES ALSO ADMINISTERS MC3 WITH PARTNER HIGH SCHOOLS. CURRENTLY, 51 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN THE MC3 IN THREE DIFFERENT CTE PATHWAYS AT PROVIDENCE CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACADEMY. 47 STUDENTS EARNED THE MC3 IN FY24, AND, TO DATE, 161 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE EARNED THE CERTIFICATION WITH 41 ENTERING REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS. BUILDING GREEN FUTURES (BGF) PREPARES YOUNG ADULTS, AGES 18-24, FOR FULFILLING CAREER PATHWAYS, INCLUDING PRIORITY PLACEMENT IN BUILDING FUTURES' RIGOROUS BF 200 CONSTRUCTION PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING, AND SUBSEQUENT ENTRY IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS. THE PROGRAM UTILIZES THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AS ITS TRAINING GROUND, FOCUSING ON PHYSICAL CONDITIONING AND STAMINA, AND RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF CONSTRUCTION SKILLS AS WELL AS OVERALL CAREER READINESS. IN FY24, 19 PARTICIPANTS GRADUATED BGF. TO DATE, 61 YOUNG ADULTS HAVE GAINED WORK READINESS SKILLS WHILE PARTICIPATING IN CLIMATE MITIGATION PROJECTS, INCLUDING PLANTING OVER 500 TREES IN RHODE ISLAND CITIES, AND WORKING ON STORM WATER RETENTION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SITE MAINTENANCE WITH LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH WOONASQUATUCKET RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL (WRWC) AND NARRAGANSETT BAY COMMISSION, BUILDING GREEN FUTURES PARTICIPANTS CONSTRUCTED A NEIGHBORHOOD URBAN TREE NURSERY TO PROVIDE A LOCAL SOURCE FOR FUTURE TREE PLANTINGS.IN FY23 BUILDING FUTURES LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM, BUILDING FUTURES INSIDE (BFI), A CONSTRUCTION APPRENTICESHIP READINESS PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN RHODE ISLAND'S CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ENGAGING CLASSROOM, HANDS-ON, AND THERAPEUTIC COMPONENTS TO PREPARE PARTICIPANTS TO TRANSITION TO THE BF200 PROGRAM UPON RELEASE. TO DATE, 24 INDIVIDUALS HAVE GRADUATED FROM BFI, 6 HAVE ADVANCED TO BF200, AND 5 HAVE BEEN PLACED IN A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP WITH THE LABORERS AND CARPENTERS UNIONS. IN FY25, BUILDING FUTURES PLANS TO OFFER BFI IN THE ACI'S MEDIUM SECURITY FACILITY FOR THE FIRST TIME. THROUGH FY 24, BUILDING FUTURES COORDINATED ACCESS TO OFFSHORE WIND TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE RI BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPER ORSTED, TO PREPARE RHODE ISLAND'S WORKFORCE FOR THE REVOLUTION WIND PROJECT. TRAINING AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATION WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM ORSTED, RI DLT'S REAL JOBS RI AND THE CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH AND TRAINING. IN FY24, 137 TRADESPEOPLE COMPLETED GWO, 190 COMPLETED HUET, 174 ACQUIRED THE OEUK AND 199 THE CST CERTIFICATIONS. OVERALL, BUILDING FUTURES SUPPORTED 233 INDIVIDUALS IN GAINING NEEDED CREDENTIALS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2024
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $2.9M