Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick) is encouraging her constituents to take advantage of a tuition-free, publicly funded training program.

The Shipbuilding/Marine and Advanced Manufacturing Institute (SAMI) at New England Institute of Technology has received funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Governor’s Workforce Board of Rhode Island, The R.I. Department of Labor and Training and the Rhode Island Foundation.

“What a great opportunity for individuals who are serious about leaning a new skill and getting back to work,” said Serpa. “This is a program that has an employment rate of 90 percent. Those who take the program do so without incurring any student debt.”

SAMI has trained and assisted more than 200 unemployed Rhode Islanders in securing employment since its inception two years ago. The program is expanding its training activities to include welding, shipfitting and machinist training programs. Those who have completed the program currently work at more than 60 Rhode Island companies.

In order to apply, individuals interested in the tuition-free training opportunity must be a Rhode Island resident, over the age of 18 and unemployed. Applicants can contact the NEIT SAMI office at 739-5000 ext. 3660 or visit www.samiri.org.