ABOUT US

Business Incubator Skills Bank Training Housing and Commercial Development Strategic Goals

The Center to Advance Minority Participation in the Construction Industry, founded in 1997 by the Black Contractors' Association of Rhode Island and led by Stanford E. Cameron, Chairman of the Board, is a non-profit organization that serves as a business incubator and training facility for minority youth and adults throughout Rhode Island. The Center's purpose is to increase their participation in building-related trades and businesses. Currently in Rhode Island, minority participation in state public construction projects makes up barely 1.5%. It is the mission of The Center to promote the benefits of careers in the building trades for minority youth and adults in order to increase their participation in the industry, through a combination of targeted outreach initiatives, educational programs, support services and partnerships.

BUSINESS INCUBATOR

The Center is located at 570 Broad in an old Victorian revival historic building and adjacent carriage house that have been completely rehabilitated and restored by members of the Black Contractors' Association of Rhode Island. Within these two buildings are 4 conference rooms and 10 separate offices, which house small start-up businesses from the community it serves. These businesses are typically located at The Center for a short period of time until they grow larger and need additional working space. The rent from the office space provides the funding to cover the operating expenses of the incubator.

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SKILLS BANK

In addition to this business incubator, The Center also serves as a job placement agency for minorities in the construction industry. With its many contacts in the industry and growing client base, The Center has been extremely successful in the past with assisting with employment – both for the employer and the employee. The Center has developed an extensive and technology-supported Skills Bank of individuals looking for work, with their individual profile and skill set outlined. This database can be used to quickly find qualified labor to meet contract requirements. Additionally, the networking and advocacy capabilities on behalf of The Center occurring throughout the state allow for a clear stream of information about job openings and new development projects to be communicated to The Center, creating a successful system. The Center serves businesses and individuals in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, and is one of the largest workforce development organizations in New England for ethnic minorities in the building trades.

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TRAINING

The most important aspect of The Center is its training workshops and seminars. The Center has a formal collaboration with the Community College of Rhode Island, which was formed to address the fact that the minority community often lacks access to this type of information and industry training. The Center conducts several courses throughout the year on a quarterly basis, with clients ranging from employers to employees. Two categories of training sessions take place at The Center: business and vocational. The construction business courses focus on different issues, such as project management, accounting practices, book keeping skills, fire codes, building codes, license requirements and Small Business Administration description of loans for contractors. Vocational courses include learning skills in areas such as energy efficiency, OSHA, blueprint reading, and other basic vocational trades.

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HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

In addition to these training sessions and workshops, The Center has recently developed a strategic plan and associated community development plan that will incorporate vocational training opportunities with economic and community development. The Center is working in concert with government agencies, political leaders, financial institutions, local organizations, development companies, various consultants and other stakeholders to identify potential development projects, particularly in South Providence . Once land, buildings, and/or residential areas in the community are identified as needing revitalization efforts, different sources of funding are sought and The Center enters into a contractual agreement for the project with the Providence Redevelopment Agency. The Center then uses this project as a platform to engage low-skilled workers to train alongside high-skilled workers for the entirety of the development project. This approach allows The Center to meet many aspects of its mission, both by giving inexperienced workers the chance to improve their skills and enhance their resumes with on-the-job training, as well as improving the South Providence community in which many at-risk youth reside. The Center is currently undergoing two of these development projects: the Pine Street Duplex Housing Project, which will become affordable housing, and the Gateway Project at Prairie Avenue , which will be an attractive commercial office, retail space and meeting space.

The principles at The Center believe that having a well-trained, experienced and accessible workforce will be a great way to enhance minority participation in the industry, as well as meeting the ultimate goal of providing opportunities for at-risk youth to advance their personal welfare by developing a career and sustaining employability.

Initially formed to promote and ensure the preparation and participation of ethnic minorities in the construction industry, The Center has evolved into a multi-faceted workforce development organization that provides training in various trades, job referrals and coordination, contractor references, and employment opportunities. The programs and projects now available to the targeted clientele have enhanced opportunities for those that otherwise would not have them. However, The Center continues to strive to achieve more and affect a greater number of people.

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STRATEGIC GOALS

The strategic goals and direction of The Center are to continue the path which it has followed, and also by participating in the planning, development, and implementation of other significant community revitalization initiatives targeting economically distressed urban areas throughout the state. They continue to leverage The Center’s presence and organizational strengths in its efforts to meet workforce development needs, increase geographic presence, maximize local and federal support, and foster public policy that supports ethnic minority participation in the industry. Additionally, The Center is working to create organizational alliances and partnerships that bring together the opportunities, resources and synergies to connect individuals to jobs, access large contracts, and rebuild communities.

In moving forward, The Center is seeking additional partnerships with state agencies and departments in an effort to expand membership to reach a wider variety of clientele. This outreach effort is attempting to target clientele such as displaced workers, the underemployed, ex-offenders, and residents of the Adult Corrections Institute. The Center would like to partake in some of the many programs offered by the Department of Labor and Training, such as the prisoner-release program, school-to-career programs, and on-the-job training programs. These programs are directly related to The Center’s mission and effectively serve their targeted clientele. They would also like to develop relationships with the Work-force Partnership of Greater Rhode Island and NetWork RI, and other affiliates of the Department of Labor and Training.

The Center is enhancing their relationship with the Department of Corrections by not only facilitating work-release programs, but also working with them closely to look at possibilities of conducting workshops and training for inmates that will take place in the ACI. These classes will be sponsored by The Center and funding will be sought from several different sources, including state grants. This opportunity will allow incarcerated men and women the chance to enhance their skills and employability, while also planning for their release. A major advantage of this partnership will be the use of the building’s construction workshop. This will allow for complete hands-on training and access to a greater number of people.

The Center is also looking to expand their working relationship with The Community College of Rhode Island. The Center would like to work with CCRI on several fronts, including increasing the number of courses taught each year by CCRI instructors to The Center’s clientele, developing a certification and eventually accreditation process for all classes taken through The Center, and increased participation in development projects related to the College. Specifically, The Center and the Black Contractors’ Association of Rhode Island are looking to play a leading role in the rehabilitation of The Gentleman’s Farm, which is also known as the President’s campus.

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