Building Futures

Apprenticeship ri initiative -apprenticeship rhode island (ari), an initiative in partnership with the ri dlt, 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 design, launch, and operate registered apprenticeship programs (raps) for occupations in a range of diverse industries. To date, ari has worked with 162 employers and 11 multi-employer sponsors. Cumulatively, these programs have employed and trained 2,168 apprentices. New rap development continues in the areas of: early childhood education, special education, and schoolteacher licensure. Two new raps through ri college have been added to include behavioral health case manager and community health worker. These two programs have 18 employer partners in healthcare. 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, including the family childcare provider pre-apprenticeship with seiu education and support fund and the mission program with one neighborhood builders. Finally, ari plays a significant role improving the capacity of the state's apprenticeship office. With a focus on serving underrepresented populations, building futures seeks to align multiple systems to effectively connect people to registered apprenticeship. In 2020, ari was recognized by the national governor's association as one of the top 10 most effective programs in the country. To expand upon its impact in the registered apprenticeship arena, building futures has been awarded a us dol apprenticeship building america grant (fy25fy28) to establish the organization as the registered apprenticeship hub for rhode island, supporting new partnerships to expand registered apprenticeship in the public sector, education, and clean energy industries.