Woonsocket Radio News Room

WOONSOCKET EDUCATION CENTER AWARDED $30,000 FROM

CITIZENS TO PROMOTE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM  

Grant supports the delivery of a new business computing course for adults

 

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND (February 6, 2025) – Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner’s Woonsocket Education Center announced today that it is a recipient of a $30,000 grant from Citizens to support a new business computing course this spring for adults in northern Rhode Island.

 

Woonsocket Education Center aims to increase educational attainment by offering a range of courses that meet the needs of regional employers and community needs, which data show that 90% of new jobs require postsecondary education in the form of degrees, certifications, or industry-recognized credentials.

 

"Preparing tomorrow's workforce today is a core element of our Rhode Island 2030 strategy," said Governor Dan McKee. "Giving Rhode Islanders a competitive edge in key sectors allows our residents to achieve better-paying careers and puts themselves, their families and our state on course for long-term success. I'm grateful to Citizens for their investment in the Ocean State's future." 

 

“Employment opportunities in this field are expanding rapidly, and banking sector jobs are regarded as highly desired by the workforce,” said Shannon Gilkey, Ed.D., Rhode Island’s Commissioner of Postsecondary Education. “We’re grateful to Citizens for helping us provide support for Rhode Islanders who need education and career development training in order to qualify for these in-demand jobs.”

 

“At Citizens, we are deeply committed to helping build the workforce of the future and expanding economic opportunity for the communities we serve,” said Keith Kelly, President of Citizens Rhode Island. “Through our support of Woonsocket Education Center’s industry-informed courses we strive to help provide the tools and resources to empower local workers to achieve their professional goals and build a pipeline of skilled talent needed for local industries to thrive.”

 

Enrollment details for the new business computing course will be shared in 2025. All coursework will be held at Woonsocket Education Center. The eight-week course entitled "Business Computing Applications" will be free for participants. The purpose of the course will be to ensure that students have the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to meet employer needs. The course presents and demonstrates the applications, concepts, and skills relevant to information technology in the context of the modern business environment.

 

About Citizens

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $217.5 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,100 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn or Facebook.

About Woonsocket Education Center

Founded in 2022, the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner’s Woonsocket Education Center is a public/private collaboration designed to bring together higher education, business, industry, and community partners to provide high-quality educational programs to meet projected workforce growth in the region. For more information, visit woonsocketedcenter.org.

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