McKee Administration Partners with Chambers of Commerce to Survey Rhode Island Businesses about Employee Training

PROVIDENCE – In support of its Rhode to Prosperity Initiative, the McKee Administration is partnering with local Chambers of Commerce to distribute an online survey that will help identify best practices and gaps in worker training.

“The survey will help us understand what businesses are currently doing to skill up their employees—whether they are engaged in apprenticeship programs, on-the-job training, tuition reimbursement or other strategies to both recruit and retain workers,” said Governor Dan McKee.

The following Chambers of Commerce have agreed to disseminate the survey to their respective memberships:

·        Block Island Chamber

·        Central Rhode Island Chamber

·        East Bay Chamber

·        East Greenwich Chamber

·        Greater Newport Chamber

·        Greater Providence Chamber 

·        Jamestown Chamber

·        Narragansett Chamber

·        North Kingstown Chamber

·        Northern Rhode Island Chamber

·        Ocean Community Chamber

·        Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber

·        Southern Rhode Island Chamber

Responses to the survey are due by September 2.

“Skills training and education that matches the real-time needs of Rhode Island employers is critical to continued economic development and business expansion in our state. Upskilling our workforce so we have a ready talent pipeline, particularly in industry sectors with high growth potential, is one of the best ways to ensure that Rhode Islanders have opportunities to secure good paying jobs and rewarding careers to boost personal and family incomes over the long term,” said Laurie White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. “We are pleased to join with other Chambers of Commerce to gather the insights and experiences from the business community that will help further refine and align the state’s job training programs and build better career pathways for employees.”

The Rhode to Prosperity initiative is tied to the Governor’s long-term goal of raising incomes for all Rhode Island families by increasing and leveraging training and education opportunities to meet the needs of area businesses. This initiative, spearheaded by Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Director of Labor Matthew Weldon and Rhode Island Postsecondary Commissioner Shannon Gilkey, builds on the existing Real Jobs RI program as well as higher education opportunities tied to some of Rhode Island's top and emerging industry sectors, such as health care, construction, cybersecurity, and clean energy.

“Through Rhode to Prosperity, Rhode Island has the opportunity to accelerate its efforts to ensure our employers of all sizes have the talent they need to thrive and collectively raise the economic output of our state,” said Commissioner Gilkey. “At the same time, our systems of education and training can ensure Rhode Islanders are prepared for those good jobs created by our business community raising their individual and family income.”

As part of this effort, the state is also collecting data from state agencies and participating higher education institutions to better identify the availability and outcomes of existing workforce development opportunities in the state.

“Through the Rhode to Prosperity Initiative, we are committed to strengthening Rhode Island's workforce by aligning training and educational opportunities with the evolving needs of our local businesses,” said Director Weldon. “Partnering with local Chambers of Commerce and gathering feedback through this survey will help us pinpoint effective training practices and address any gaps. We are committed to enhancing career opportunities and raising incomes for all Rhode Islanders.”

This summer, Governor McKee, Director Weldon, and Commissioner Gilkey are also participating in several business feedback sessions to crowdsource ideas for supporting those businesses’ workforce development needs and encouraging them to promote or expand career pathways within their individual industries. 

To view the survey, visit the following webpages:

Rhode to Prosperity Business Survey

Ruta a la Prosperidad en Rhode Island Encuesta Empresarial