History & Funding

History

The Providence Plan, YouthBuild Providence, and BuildRI joined forces in 2006 launching Building Futures to bring systemic change to the commercial construction industry in ways that will help the sector meet future needs, while creating meaningful employment opportunities for low-income adults from urban communities.

Building Future formed with three primary goals:

1. To increase the number of minority residents from urban communities who work in construction;
2. To assist the construction industry in meeting its future workforce needs while at the same time establishing new mechanisms to recruit minorities and other non-traditional workers to the industry; and
3. To assist with the development of a new policy framework in which construction projects, public and private, would incorporate intentional strategies to increase the number of urban residents entering the industry as apprentices.

After a thoughtful planning and strategy phase, the Building Futures initiative was launched in mid-2007 with initial support from the United Way's Skill Up initiative and Governor's Workforce Board's Industry Partnership program. The first year of operations showed considerable success.

A core accomplishment was the development and implementation of our model Apprenticeship Utilization Program with the City of Providence and private sector developers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield and Brown University. Through this mechanism, Building Futures created access to more entry-level opportunities, as well as leveraged the high quality training available for those employed as building trades' apprentices.

In the first year, Building Futures also created, piloted and refined a multi-stage, pre-apprenticeship program which includes GED preparation, construction aptitude testing, building trades career exploration, employability skills training, and case management. More than 20 of the candidates who successfully completed our program were placed in registered apprenticeship programs during the pilot year.

Funding

Since our inception, our funding has become more diversified, representing an aligned funding model from a broad range of sources. To support the system change and direct program work of Building Futures, we now enjoy the generous support of:

Associated General Contractors of America, RI Chapter.

Supporting our graduates as the respective members provide the quality wages, benefits and on the job training through participation in apprenticeship programs.

 City of Providence

Supporting our work in training Providence residents for employment as apprentices and helping with related provisions of the First Source Hiring Ordinance

Governor's Workforce Board, Industry Partnership Program

Supporting the development and expansion of our Construction Industry Partnership and its work.

Making Connections Providence, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Supporting our services and programming provided to residents of the Making Connections Providence neighborhoods.

Nellie Mae Education Foundations, Pathways to High Learning Program

Supporting our partnership with Providence School District to align construction career paths at Providence Career and Technical Academy with the needs and expertise of the construction industry.

RI. Building & Construction Trades Council

Supporting our graduates through representation and providing technical instruction, through managing high quality apprenticeship training programs.

RI Department of Education, Office of Adult Education

Supporting our construction-based GED program, designed to link educational services with employment outcomes

Rhode Island Foundation, Strategy Grant Program

Supporting our systemic change work with a focus on construction policies in the public sector and the barriers to employment facing Rhode Island’'slow-income communities

United Way of Rhode Island, Skill Up Initiative

Supporting our comprehensive program of evaluation, preparation, support and placement of low-income urban residents into registered trade apprenticeships, as well as our systemic change work.

Workforce Partnership of Greater RI, Industry Skills Development Initiative

Supporting our collaboration with Providence Career and Technical Academy, our presence at netWORKri's One-Stop locations and Youth Centers, and making possible our intensive 160 hour basic training program.

Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston