Senesco Marine, North Kingstown, R.I., has partnered with the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and Polaris MEP on a 14-week welding program to help meet workforce needs for a new ferry construction project, according to the Warwick Beacon.
The training supports the shipyard’s $78.6 million contract with the Delaware River and Bay Authority to build a 75-car, 400-passenger ferry. The program is designed to prepare structural welders for work on the multiyear project.
Polaris MEP, a manufacturing consulting organization, funded the training. Students receive classroom instruction, hands-on welding training and opportunities to shadow shipyard workers.
Classes take place Monday through Thursday at Senesco’s Quonset facility, where students practice welding and work on projects inside the shipyard. On Fridays, instruction shifts to CCRI’s Knight Campus in Warwick, R.I., covering safety, welding processes and techniques, and blueprint reading.
The program is intended to provide a path into shipbuilding for students with little or no trade experience. Graduates will be able to transition directly into jobs at Senesco working on the ferry, the Beacon reported.
Development moved from initial discussions to shipyard instruction in about five months. CCRI President Rosemary Costigan met with Senesco leaders in early April, funding was secured by June, and students began training at the yard in September.
Senesco President Ted Williams identified workforce development as a critical part of expanding Rhode Island’s shipbuilding capabilities. The partnership connects instruction directly to the yard’s production needs, giving students experience in the environment where they could ultimately work.
