PROVIDENCE, RI — March 5, 2026 — Ascendium Education Group has awarded $2,455,100 to Polaris MEP to expand equitable career pathways into advanced manufacturing for justice-impacted and underserved Rhode Islanders.
The three-year initiative, “Expanding Career Pathways to Advanced Manufacturing for Justice-Impacted and Underserved Rhode Islanders,” will run from March 2026 through February 2029 and aligns with Ascendium’s Expand Opportunity strategy, which focuses on increasing access to high-quality career pathways training and supporting justice-impacted and underserved learners.
The project responds to Rhode Island’s acute manufacturing workforce shortage by strengthening the talent pipeline while opening access to high-wage, high-demand careers for individuals who have been historically excluded from opportunity.
Grant funding will support the launch of new Registered Apprenticeships in Machine Operator, Tool Maker, and CNC Machinist roles—expanding apprenticeship utilization in a sector where it has been historically underused. Polaris MEP will also work with their partners to register JARC RI’s Careers in Manufacturing programs and CCRI’s Fast Track to Manufacturing (FTM) as Pre-Apprenticeships, creating a direct and supported pathway into Registered Apprenticeships for program graduates, in partnership with Apprenticeship RI.
In addition, the initiative will expand and sustain advanced manufacturing training pathways in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC), CCRI and New England Institute of Technology. For those trainees in the RIDOC program, they will also receive support from Phoenix Odyssey and the Reentry Campus Program, which help recently incarcerated individuals continue their education and strengthen their role in the community.
Participants in the program will earn industry-recognized credentials and receive continuous case management, job placement support, and barrier-reduction assistance, including transportation support, housing stabilization, and stipends. Polaris MEP will also deepen employer engagement through fair-chance hiring initiatives, supporting manufacturers in adopting inclusive hiring practices and improving employee retention.
The project strengthens collaboration among Rhode Island manufacturers, RIDOC, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, the Rhode Island Office of Postsecondary Commissioner (RIOPC), and community-based organizations, positioning Polaris MEP as a statewide intermediary for equitable manufacturing workforce development.
“This grant allows us to significantly scale workforce pathways that connect Rhode Islanders—including justice-impacted learners—to in-demand advanced manufacturing careers. Through apprenticeships, employer partnerships, and barrier-reduction supports, we are strengthening both individual economic mobility and the state’s manufacturing sector,” said Lindsey Brickle, Director, Workforce and Communication Partnerships, Polaris MEP.
“Apprenticeships have the potential to open doors to high-quality careers, but too often those pathways remain out of reach for the learners who could benefit most,” says Brittany Corde, Senior Program Officer at Ascendium. “This partnership with Polaris MEP demonstrates how employer engagement, fair-chance hiring, and structured apprenticeship pathways can work together to create real economic mobility for justice-impacted learners while meeting urgent workforce needs. By aligning pre-apprenticeships, employer partnerships, and comprehensive supports, Polaris MEP is building a coordinated system that expands access, strengthens retention, and strengthens Rhode Island’s advanced manufacturing workforce.”
Posted: March 6, 2026
Source: Polaris MEP
