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State of Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee

Governor McKee, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Highlight Need for Proposed Work-based Learning Investments in FY26 Budget

Published on Thursday, April 24, 2025

Governor McKee has made workforce development a key pillar of his budget proposal, emphasizing the significant value of experiential learning for our young people

CRANSTON, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Director Matthew Weldon, and We Make RI gathered at the organization’s Cranston facility to highlight the need for the Governor’s proposed $2 million in additional general revenue to help create 1,000 new work-based learning opportunities for youth through programs like Real Skills for Youth and the PrepareRI High School Internship Program.

As a Real Skills for Youth partner, We Make RI equips participants, ages 16-24, with essential skills for careers in manufacturing. Students engage in an 84-hour paid internship that combines job readiness training with hands-on manufacturing experience. Since the program's start in 2023, We Make RI has trained 55 interns through the Real Skills for Youth program.

“When we invest in our young people, we invest in Rhode Island’s future,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Work-based learning is the key to economic prosperity for our cities and towns, businesses, and families. I’m grateful to We Make RI and fellow organizations who are using Real Skills for Youth and other work-based learning opportunities to turn students and interns into the next wave of Rhode Island’s workforce.”

During the event, We Make RI employees and student interns showcased their work on a variety of manufacturing projects—including assembly, product packaging, printing, digital marketing, and more.

Real Skills for Youth is a youth-centered workforce development initiative that provides youth and young adults with robust work-based learning through paid work experiences, hands-on exposure to careers, and the practice of essential workplace skills. The program is part of Rhode Island’s Rhode to Prosperity initiative and the Governor’s RI 2030 Plan, which seeks to raise incomes for all Rhode Islanders and guarantee access to quality education that is closely aligned with industry demands for good-paying jobs. 

Governor McKee’s FY26 budget proposal would invest a total of $6 million in Real Skills for Youth and the PrepareRI High School internship initiative, which includes the Governor’s proposed enhancement of $2 million. 

"Visiting We Make RI and seeing the impact of the Real Skills for Youth program in action was a powerful reminder of why these investments matter,” said Matthew Weldon, RI Department of Labor & Training Director. “These experiences are opening doors for young Rhode Islanders to build confidence, gain the real-world skills they need to thrive, and explore meaningful careers they may not have otherwise considered. Strategic investments like these are about more than workforce preparation—they’re about creating real pathways to upward mobility and long-term economic success. Governor McKee’s continued support reinforces our commitment to building a strong talent pipeline and ensuring every Rhode Islander has a fair shot at a brighter future.”

“We know from an abundance of data that early exposure to work-based learning and employment will result in higher earnings as an adult, said Alyssa Alvarado, Governor’s Workforce Board Executive Director. “That’s why it is so critical to make these investments and develop innovative programs with industry-based partners. I loved seeing the students in action today and know they have bright futures ahead of them.”

Barbara Jackson, Executive Director of We Make RI, said, “Real Skills for Youth is an incredible program that gives participants the opportunity to do real hands-on work in a real factory. They have production responsibilities, they have production quotas, and they have to explain to their peers what works, what doesn’t work, and what might work better. Their growth in good decision-making and problem-solving over the 84 hours is amazing. At the program’s end, participants have a level of self-confidence that will serve them well, no matter what their next career step is.”

“We Make RI has given us unique hands-on experiences we would not be able to receive anywhere else!" said Hector Rodriguez, a We Make RI participant speaking on behalf of the group that was recognized during Thursday's event. "Thank you once again for this opportunity. It was incredible to be able to meet Governor McKee as well.”

In addition to this investment, the Governor’s FY26 budget proposal also calls for the following workforce and career readiness investments in line with his Rhode to Prosperity initiative:

  • $2.3 million in new Real Jobs RI funding to help train an additional 500 Rhode Islanders through workforce development programs that center experiential learning, align with employer needs, and create clear, direct pathways to higher-wage, in-demand careers.
  • Launching Ready to Build, a signature, pre-apprenticeship pathway to the building trades at the Community College of Rhode Island with an investment of $800,000 in general revenue.
  • $2.9 million for dual and concurrent enrollment programs supported by resources from the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority. This level of support would sufficiently meet demand and make it possible for high school students to take postsecondary courses at an institution of higher education or at their high school.