In North Kingstown this week, Community College of Rhode Island President Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN., Senesco Marine President Ted Williams, and Polaris MEP Director Christian Cowan announced a new 14-week collaborative welding program that combines on-site welding with classroom instruction and job shadowing opportunities. After drawing approximately 100 applicants, this free program launched this fall and currently serves 15 students.

CCRI created--and Polaris MEP funded--this program in direct response to Senesco’s need for skilled welders to meet a multimillion dollar shipbuilding contract. Senesco Marine recently secured the landmark $78.6 million contract from the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) to construct a next-generation, 75-car, 400-passenger hybrid ferry at its North Kingstown shipyard.

“When employers come to us with a workforce need, we listen,” said President Costigan. “It took less than six months from our first conversation with Senesco to the first day of training.” She added that CCRI’s efforts are building the skilled workforce to meet the needs of Rhode Island’s marine trades and defense manufacturing industries."

"Rhode Island's manufacturing and maritime industries depend on a strong pipeline of skilled talent," said Williams. "Through this partnership with CCRI and Polaris MEP, we're giving students the opportunity to learn in a real shipbuilding environment, develop in-demand skills, and prepare for successful careers in the trades."

Paige Huggon, a Rhode Island native seeking a change of career, is one of the students in the program.

“Having that combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience has made such a difference,” Huggon explained. “We're not just reading about it or watching someone else do it. We're actually getting in there, trying it ourselves, making mistakes, learning from them, and improving every week.”

Upon completion of the training, Senesco anticipates that graduates will be prepared to transition from the training floor into immediate jobs—many that include building the new ferry. The partnership is a real-time example of how CCRI responds rapidly to industry needs to keep major economic investments moving forward in Rhode Island.

“Public-private partnerships are critical to advancing economic growth, and this program is a great example of how collaboration can directly address employer needs,” said Christian Cowan, Executive Director of Polaris. “We are proud to partner with CCRI and Senesco to leverage EDA (U.S. Economic Development Administration) Good Jobs funding to deliver this impactful program. We look forward to building on this partnership to meet the growing workforce demands of Rhode Island’s Ocean Economy.”