Background
The Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association (RINLA) is a 501©(6) professional trade association representing a diverse set of professionals in plant-based industries. With a commitment to stewardship, equity and education, to innovating and advancing the industry, RINLA’s members include nurseries, landscape contractors, arborists, green engineers, stone masons, tree care experts, garden centers, landscape architects, landscape designers, fruit and vegetable growers, compost and mulch producers, fine gardeners, suppliers, allied businesses, and others. Among the members are small and medium size businesses, regional outposts of large multinational companies, multi-generational businesses, and start-ups.
In February 2018, RINLA established a multi-employer Registered Apprenticeship program in order to train and retain the next generation of workers and leaders in these diverse industries. The Registered Apprenticeship model is very familiar in the construction trades, but it is new to plant-based industries. As RINLA grows this program, we are also working to strengthen the ecosystem within which it exists, by advocating for supportive policies and building pipelines of new people into the industry. The program is the first of its kind in the country.
Job Summary
The Education and Training Coordinator oversees RINLA’s educational offerings over the course of the year, with a focus on aligning educational offerings with training requirements of RINLA’s Registered Apprenticeship programs. With passion for and familiarity with plant-based industry, the person in this role is charged with ensuring that RINLA provides timely, accessible, relevant, and in-demand trainings and resources to member businesses. This includes designing, planning, delivering and evaluating RINLA’s proprietary education and training programs while also managing and updating a portfolio of high quality educational resources available locally, regionally, and nationally available to RINLA member businesses and their employees and apprentices. The Education and Training Coordinator is a year-round contract position averaging 32 hours per week with responsibilities distributed across the year. This position may be renewed annually, pending analysis of program evaluation, performance, and available funding. This position is based at RINLA’s office at the University of Rhode Island’s East Farm in Kingston. Some remote work is also possible. Travel around Rhode Island for program events and meetings, as necessary, is required. The Education and Training Coordinator works in close collaboration with the Apprenticeship Program Coordinator and RINLA’s full team and reports directly to the Executive Director.
Responsibilities
• Oversee planning and delivery of RINLA’s current roster of education and training offerings, including managing budgets, coordinating instructors and site visits, coordinating curriculum development contractors, and playing the role of facilitator and host at trainings/events
• With RINLA leadership, develop strategy for new education and training offerings, building on existing programming
• Enhance RINLA’s education offerings over the course of the year to better align with Registered Apprenticeship program needs, for a broad range of experience levels (entry-level, crew leaders, mentors, business owners)
• Design and implement evaluations for all trainings and educational offerings, analyze evaluation results, and adapt future programs accordingly
• Liaise with RINLA staff, board, advisors, and member businesses to ensure that all offerings are timely, seasonally appropriate, accessible, targeted and relevant
• Develop and maintain RINLA’s portfolio of local, regional and national educational opportunities, identifying and pursuing opportunities for partnership with other relevant education providers, across formats (e.g. classroom-based, experiential/hands-on, online or distance learning)
• Co-coordinate (with the Executive Director) with institutions of higher education to leverage
existing educational assets and strengthen pathways between industry and these institutions
Requirements
• Bachelors’ Degree
• Five or more years of work experience in one or more sectors of plant-based industry (landscape, nursery, or horticulture) or in adult education, or workforce training
• Excellent project management skills
• Ability to ask excellent questions, actively listen to the answers, and translate those answers into programmatic results (e.g. trainings targeted to business owners’ interests)
• Ability to thrive in a start-up environment
• Proven ability to overcome obstacles in a collaborative manner
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience engaging and communicating with diverse stakeholders
• Ability to speak Spanish desired
• Computer literacy
If you want to play a key role in developing innovative, hands-on workforce opportunities and career pathways within the state’s plant-based industries, have the experience and qualifications for this position, and want to join an ambitious organization, please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please include “RINLA Education and Training Coordinator” in the subject line.
Qualified candidates will be contacted by phone and email. Background checks and a computer literacy test may be required of final candidates. RINLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.