Roger Williams University Launches Scholarships For Trades Education

Press release from Roger Williams University:

By Mel Thibeault

August 14, 2024

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – With the goal of addressing the critical need for developing a skilled trades workforce in Rhode Island and the region, Roger Williams University is launching an endowed full-scholarship program for trades education at its Providence campus.

Across the nation, the trades sector is facing a significant skills gap and labor shortage, exacerbated by an aging workforce who are nearing retirement. A 2021 Skilled Trades Report by Angi reported that nearly 70 percent of skilled trade companies struggle to hire enough workers to fill all vacancies. In the coming decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 80,000 annual job openings for electricians alone.

To help address the critical need for skilled labor in Rhode Island, RWU has received a $250,000 grant from the Hayden Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to educational organizations in the Ocean State, to launch a scholarship program for students enrolled in trades programs through RWU’s University College, at its Providence campus, 1 Empire St.

“We are facing a critical skills gap in the trades labor market due to a scarcity of qualified applicants. These scholarships will help nurture a new generation of trades professionals in well-paying careers that our society depends on,” said Gena Bianco, Dean of RWU’s University College. “The Hayden Foundation’s generous gift aligns with Roger Williams University’s commitment to provide educational opportunities that meet students where they are and alleviate the financial barriers to pursuing higher education and a professional career.”

Named after the foundation’s founders and in honor of their legacy in advancing employer-labor relations for Rhode Islanders, the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades will support full scholarships for three to five students per year enrolled in RWU’s Electrical Apprenticeship Program, Carpentry Apprenticeship Program, Construction Management Fundamentals, or forthcoming program in Plumbing.

“As part of our mission to enhance educational outcomes and opportunities across Rhode Island, we are thrilled that our foundation is providing the initial funding to establish a perpetual scholarship fund for students pursuing trades education at Roger Williams University,” said George Panichas, Executive Director of the Hayden Foundation. “Together, our two organizations can address the pressing skilled labor shortage, fostering a well-educated, competent workforce ready to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

RWU University College is a leader in trades education, developing industry-aligned credentials and programs taught by highly experienced, currently working professionals. The trades programs combine weeknight and weekend classroom instruction with a required field practicum that can often be embedded within the student’s current trade-related employment, providing flexibility for working students.

RWU’s apprenticeship programs have been approved by the State of Rhode Island and are the only post-secondary programs accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Achieving a trade certificate at RWU is more affordable than traditional skilled trade degree programs elsewhere, and the learning experience can be utilized as credit toward a degree.

While anyone may apply for the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades, the program particularly seeks to support traditional high school students and technical and vocational students, particularly in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs or nonprofit organizations with pre-apprenticeship programs.

For more information on RWU’s trades programs, visit https://www.rwu.edu/uc/offerings/trades.

For information on the Don P. and Elaine M. Hayden Scholarships for Education in the Trades, contact Peter Thomas at pthomas@rwu.edu or (401) 254-3582.

This press release was produced by the Roger Williams University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.