MISSION
Our Mission is to meet employer and industry need for skilled workers through the Registered Apprenticeship system while creating family-sustaining career opportunities for low-income diverse residents.
About Us
Building Futures launched in 2007 as a construction industry partnership focused on leveraging the Registered Apprenticeship model of workforce development. For over 100 years, unions and employers have jointly operated quality registered apprenticeships in construction occupations to train individuals as highly-skilled tradespeople. Our work spans three distinct but highly aligned areas.
For the benefit of low-income Rhode Islanders, Building Futures developed and operates a comprehensive pre-apprenticeship program to prepare diverse, low-income men and women for success in employment as registered apprentices in the building trades. In addition, we work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that construction projects provide employment opportunities for apprentices at the appropriate level to meet future demand for skilled labor through our Apprentice Utilization Program. Our pre-apprenticeship and apprentice utilization program together provide an effective system for workforce development in Rhode Island’s construction sector.
From this foundation, we have established Apprenticeship Rhode Island, an initiative to expand the use of Registered Apprenticeship beyond the construction sector. Now, we are helping to develop new registered apprenticeship programs in multiple sectors, which include healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing and green/plant-based occupations, among others. Working with employers, industry partnerships, government, and community-based organizations, we are spreading this proven model of Registered Apprenticeship to benefit the state’s workforce and economy.
Staff
Beth Ashman
Apprenticeship Systems Manager
bashman@bfri.org, x208
Melissa Benoit
Fiscal Manager
mbenoit@bfri.org, x300
Leandro Kufa Castro
Recruitment & Leadership Coordinator
lcastro@bfri.org ; Cell: 401-632-7146
Ian Chase
Training Director
ichase@bfri.org, x202
Andrew Cortés
Executive Director
acortes@bfri.org
Lisa Dusablon
Program Assistant
ldusablon@bfri.org, x200
Kevin Grattan
Training Manager
kgrattan@bfri.org, x202
Maia Handy
Social Services Coordinator
mhandy@bfri.org, x201
Participant & Alumni Cell Phone: 401-330-7851
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Vin Hawkins
Math Instructor
vhawkins@bfri.org
Rita Holahan
Finance and Operations Director
rholahan@bfri.org, x204
Marlo Jackson
Lead Trainer
mjackson@bfri.org
Kasey Johnson
Apprenticeship Program Coordinator
kjohnson@bfri.org, x205
Rachel Miller
Communications Manager
rmiller@bfri.org, x213
Evan Rosin-Pritchard
Lead Trainer- Youth
erosin-pritchard@bri.org, x203
Brook Swanson
Training Coordinator
bswanson@bfri.org, x202
Lori Turchetta
Workforce System-Apprenticeship Liaison
lturchetta@bfri.org, x215
Lori.Turchetta@dlt.ri.gov
Board of Directors
Gregory Mancini, Chair of the Board
Executive Director & General Counsel, Build RI
Andrew Cortés, Ex Officio
Executive Director, Building Futures
Scott Duhamel, Secretary
Assistant to the General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Eileen Hayes
President & CEO, Amos House
Bruce Iannuccillo
Vice President, Iannuccillo & Sons
Sandra Powell
Associate Director, Rhode Island Department of Health
Kenneth Richardson, Jr., C.P.A., Treasurer
Richardson, Steere & Associates Certified Public Accountants
Michael Sabitoni
Business Manager, Rhode Island Laborers’ District Council
Alumni
APPRENTICESHIP RHODE ISLAND
Apprenticeship Rhode Island, an initiative of Building Futures, works to maximize the use of the highly effective system of workforce development – Registered Apprenticeship – for the benefit of employers, government and residents of the state. Visit the ARI site to learn more.