NEWPORT — The official launch of the RISE (Re-Imagining Student Education) Program, in partnership with Newport School District SAU 43 has been announced by Jay Lucas, founder of the Newport Sunshine Initiative.
The RISE program was created at the beginning of the Newport Sunshine Initiative in response to growing demands from the community for job training programs relevant to today’s evolving economy.
The overall goal of the program is to build a new and unique jobs training program that gives community members the opportunity to acquire skills currently in high demand in today’s freelance economy.
The first iteration of the RISE program focuses on providing participating students with the skills necessary to become freelance web designers and effectively market their skills, with the first course having taken place on Nov. 8 with 18 students enrolled.
“What we’ve noticed across the country is that there is a deficit when it comes to supply and demand in the current employment market. We need to be doing a better job of offering folks, not matter their age, the opportunity to take on skills that will be relevant for the future, not the past,” says Ryan Knowles, Program Director for the RISE Program.
“Especially, amongst younger generations, the freelance economy is becoming the norm. If people aren’t being taught the skills to keep up with this shift, we’re in danger of leaving people behind, in some cases before they even get the chance to start a career. The RISE program wants to make sure this isn’t the case, beginning with our first pilot program in Newport.”
Upon successful completion of the course, each student receives certification of completion and functional knowledge of HTML/HTML5, CSS/CSS3, Javascript, jQuery, Github, and User Interface and Experience. In addition to providing students with these technical skills, the program also places a strong emphasis on being able to market these skills to businesses in need, in order to find consistent work.
“This program is about giving people the chance to be economically self-reliant with a set of skills that will only continue to grow in relevancy. The RISE program is a 12-week program with open admission and will be offering another course in the spring, according to Knowles.
Lucas and Knowles also extend a special thank you to Stacey Hammerlind, Family and Community Coordinator for SAU 43 and SAU 43 Superintendent Cindy Gallagher for their continued support throughout the program.
For more details on the program or how to apply, please contact Knowles at [email protected] or Hammerlind at [email protected]
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