NEWPORT, R.I. – (October 22, 2026) – The BankNewport Charitable Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to the Providence Public Library (PPL) to support its Technology Career Pathway, a free education and workforce development initiative serving teens, English Language Learners and adults from diverse backgrounds across Rhode Island.
The Technology Career Pathway helps participants build workplace and technology skills ranging from basic digital literacy and Microsoft Office to coding, data analytics and visualization. Participants also earn industry-recognized credentials and access wraparound services including career coaching, technical support and mentorship. PPL’s technology and workforce programs serve more than 1,500 teens and adults annually.
“Digital skills are increasingly essential to education, employment and economic opportunity, but access to high-quality training is not equal for everyone,” said Jack Murphy, President and CEO, BankNewport. “Providence Public Library creates accessible pathways for learners at many different starting points, helping them build practical skills, earn credentials and move toward their academic and career goals.”
Programming supported through the pathway includes Basic Computer Literacy courses and Northstar Digital Literacy certifications, Rhode Coders 2.0 courses in HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Python, E-Commerce Essentials, and an Excel Work Readiness Pathway for English Language Learners. PPL also provides citizenship preparation, refugee-focused education and career support, and intensive summer English-language programming for recently arrived teens.
“Our Technology Career Pathway is designed to meet learners where they are and connect them with the skills, tools and support they need to keep moving forward,” said Gretchen Wright, Grants Manager, Providence Public Library. “BankNewport’s continued support helps us respond to extraordinary demand for free digital literacy and workforce education while ensuring these opportunities remain accessible to Rhode Islanders who face the greatest barriers to training and employment.”
Providence Public Library serves as a statewide learning and resource hub, offering lending and information services alongside digital literacy, workforce development, youth STEAM education, career coaching and financial literacy programming. In fiscal year 2025, PPL served approximately 320,000 patrons across its services and programs, more than double its pre-pandemic annual usage. The Library also partners with public libraries, American Job Centers, schools, employers and community organizations to extend learning opportunities beyond its downtown Providence location.
