Business & Tech

Woonsocket's CCF Awarded $168K To Train, Place 60 Culinary Arts Workers

Governor's Workforce Board awards grant to groom employees for local jobs.

 

Connecting for Children and Families (CCF) has received a $168,366 Innovative Partnership grant from the Governor’s Workforce Board to train 60 people in their Culinary Arts Program.

The grant will help promote and support partnerships between employers and training and education providers so job seekers have the skills, training and support they need to meet employer demand. “We are thrilled to receive an Innovative Partnership award. Providing these training programs prepares adults with the technical knowledge, as well as the job readiness skills, that employers have identified as basic competencies they look for in a potential employee," said CCF Executive Director Terese Curtin. 

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The CCF Innovative Partnership grant creates a formal collaboration called the Culinary Arts Collaborative of Northern Rhode Island, which will conduct a five-component training program.

According to Gov. Lincoln Chafee's office, culinary arts and hospitality training will be provided to 60 unemployed and underemployed area residents. Participants will acquire work-readiness preparation; occupational skills in culinary arts; four industry recognized credentials; on-the-job experience through internships; and a strong connection to a career pathway with individualized job development and placement.

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The collaborative partners will provide input and oversight on the design and implementation of the project. CCF's primary partners include: the Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation; Woonsocket Education Department and its Area Career and Technical Center; NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley; and food services employer partners throughout several communities in Northern RI, including Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association, Kay’s Restaurant,  Uno Chicago Grill in Smithfield, Saint Antoines Residence Food and Nutrition Services in North Smithfield, and The Lodge Pub & Eatery in Lincoln.

The program will build on the success of the existing CCF Culinary Arts training to address the unmet needs and skills of unemployed and underemployed adults. The program has been expanding opportunities to Woonsocket area job seekers and assisting employers in identifying qualified employees for the past two years. 

"These trainings are the first step in assisting adults with the skills and confidence to find work during these challenging economic times,” Curtin said.

“The RI Hospitality Education Foundation is extremely excited to partner with Connecting for Children and Families. We are eager to bring our experience in providing work-readiness and occupational skills training to the Culinary Arts Collaborative of Northern Rhode Island,” said Dale J. Venturini, President/CEO of the RI Hospitality Education Foundation.


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