ANNOUNCER: SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF GENERATION SOMEONE'S HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HOW DO YOU THINK THEM?

BY LEAVING YOUR OWN LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

♪ PETER: WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON COMMITTEES OF COLOR IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

I'M YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

TODAY'S GUEST IS NINA PANDE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND'S FUTURE.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

I SHOULD SAY WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW BECAUSE YOU WERE ON ONCE BEFORE.

NINA: I HAVE AND PETER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK.

I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

PETER: THE WORK YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE, I'VE WATCHED YOUR CAREER VAL UP, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN POSITIVE -- YOUR CAREER DEVELOP, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN POSITIVE.

FIRST IN COMMUNITY AND VETERANS WORK AND YOU MOVED ON TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WHERE YOU ARE TODAY AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT THE CONNECTIONS ARE AND THE PARTNERSHIPS.

I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY THUNDER FROM YOU.

LET'S TELL PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT SKILLS FOR RHODE ISLAND'S FUTURE IS ALL ABOUT.

NINA: THE LAST TIME I WAS ON YOUR SHOW, WE WERE JUST STARTING OUT.

IT WAS AN INFANT ORGANIZATION, JUST ME AND TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TODAY, WE ARE A THRIVING ORGANIZATION WITH 67 STAFF AND A HEALTHY BUDGET.

OUR GROWTH FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HAS JUST BEEN A CONSTANT IN OUR STATE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO UPSCALE AND GET PEOPLE INTO MIDDLE-CLASS JOBS.

THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS ALL ABOUT -- HOW DO WE EMPOWER PEOPLE THROUGH ECONOMIC MOBILITY?

WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE RESOURCES TO LIVE AND BE ABLE TO LIVE COMFORTABLY.

SO OUR ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE PROPERLY EDUCATED AND VETTED FOR THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW, PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, AND WE BECOME THEIR SURROGATES AND ADVOCATES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR WORKPLACE HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

PETER: THAT IS FANTASTIC.

IT IS WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND QUITE FRANKLY NEEDS TO BE DONE -- NOT TO TAKE ANY THUNDER AWAY FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION, BITTER NEEDS TO BE DONE BY MANY ORGANIZATIONS.

I KNOW THEY DO SOME OF THIS, BUT PART-TIME WORKERS LIKE MANPOWER USED TO BE AND SOME OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW DO YOU DEVELOP THESE RESOURCES FOR RHODE ISLAND'S FUTURE?

NINA: WE TAKE MULTIPLE APPROACHES AND YOU ARE SPOT ON WHEN YOU SAY IT TAKES MANY PEOPLE TO MAKE THIS WORK.

IF WE LEARNED ANYTHING THROUGH COVID, WHILE WE WERE ENTERING PRE-COVID, AN ECONOMY THAT SEEMED HEALTHY AND GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, COVID HAS STOPPED A LOT OF THAT GROWTH IN ITS TRACKS.

WHAT WE ARE LEARNING IS THERE ARE CERTAIN INDUSTRIES THAT WILL BE SLOWER TO GROW BACK STRONGER AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.

FOR US, WE TAKE WHAT IS CALLED A DEMAND DRIVEN APPROACH, WHERE WE TRULY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY -- WHAT'S THE TALENT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR, WHAT IS THE TALENT THEY NEED TODAY, AND WHAT IS THE FORECASTED TALENT OF THE FUTURE.

ONCE WE GATHER THAT INFORMATION AND USE IT AS OUR BEDROCK FOR HOW TO BUILD PROGRAMS, WE CAN RETOOL TRAINING PROGRAMS AND BUILDING UP TALENT TO WHAT WE KNOW EMPLOYERS WANT IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

A VERY DEMAND DRIVEN APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO CANDIDATES BEING SHUFFLED TWO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SEE WHAT STICKS.

WE TAKE A VERY TACTILE APPROACH TO OUR WORK AND BECAUSE OF IT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE OVER 3600 PEOPLE IN JOBS.

WE'VE PLACED OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN PAID INTERNSHIPS, MOSTLY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AND WE ARE PROVIDING CAREER ENHANCEMENT SERVICES -- OVER 10,000 PEOPLE WE HAVE PROVIDED CAREER ENHANCEMENT SERVICES TOO.

WE ARE UP TO 170 EMPLOYER PARTNERS.

SO THIS WORK COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE COMMITMENTS OF OUR EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND MAKING A COMMITMENT TO HIRING NONTRADITIONAL CANDIDATES .

MAKING A COMMITMENT TO HIRING CANDIDATES WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED OR HE MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES OUT OF A JOB AND HELP UP SKILL AND RE-SKILL THOSE FOLKS FOR THE JOBS AND DEMAND RIGHT NOW.

OUR PARTNERS, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WE ARE OVER 50 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL.

YOUR CONCEPT TAKES MANY PEOPLE TO LIFT ALL BOATS, THAT IS THE WORLD AND ECOSYSTEM WE ARE BUILDING THROUGH THOSE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.

PETER: HOW ARE YOU DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS?

ARE YOU JUST ASKING OR ARE THEY COMING TO YOU NOW AND HEARING ABOUT THE PROGRAM?

NINA: IT'S A BIT OF BOTH.

YOU KNOW ME AND F2 KNOW I'M NOT A WALLFLOWER.

INITIALLY, IT WAS A LOT OF ASKING AND A LOT OF CONVINCING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STIGMATISM THAT COMES AROUND WITH BEING UNEMPLOYED OR YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE RIGHT PEDIGREE.

WE HAD SOME EARLY ADOPTERS, SOME OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE CITIZENS BANK AND AMGEN, SOME OF THE HEAVY HITTERS WHO REALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW TO LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES TO HELP THOSE CORPORATIONS BUILD TALENT POOLS THAT WERE REFLECTED OF -- REFLECTIVE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

EVEN JUST BEING A GOOD PARTNER AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE PATHWAYS FOR JOBSEEKERS.

FROM THERE, IT JUST STARTED BUILDING AND EMPLOYERS LEARNED ABOUT OUR RESOURCES.

SMALL BUSINESSES CONTACTING US AND WE DO A LOT THROUGH INDUSTRY SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS A WELL.

WE HAVE A FEW DIFFERENT AVENUES WE TACKLE AND AT THIS POINT, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT BECAUSE OF COVID, WE HAVE ACTED AS A REPOSITORY FOR EMPLOYERS LARGE AND SMALL TO POST JOBS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW JOBS ARE AVAILABLE.

PEOPLE NEED TO STILL WORK THROUGH COVID.

WE'VE BECOME A RESOURCE FOR MANY IN THIS STATE.

PETER: THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE BECAUSE OF COVID AND NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY, THERE ARE A LOT OF JOBS THAT ARE CHANGING THEIR PROFILES AND PEOPLE ARE BEING RETOOLED, SO TO SPEAK IN SOME OF THE NEW TOOLS OF THE FUTURE.

THAT WILL BE BETTER FOR THE STATE.

NINA: EXACTLY.

OUR AGENCY IS DOUBLING DOWN IN THIS TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE OF DIGITAL LITERACY.

WE KNOW NOW WHEN WE TALK TO CANDIDATES WHO CALL US, HELP REINVENT YOURSELF AND WE HAVE SOME TRAINING PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN START REINVENTING THEMSELVES.

WE ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED A SHORT WHILE AGO A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH MICROSOFT WHERE MICROSOFT GAVE US FUNDING AND WE HAVE A DIGITAL VIRTUAL ACADEMY WHERE WE MAPPED OUT 10 CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE DIGITAL SPACE SO SOMEONE CAN TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF OUR VIRTUAL TRAINING PROGRAMS THROUGH SKILLS ACADEMY AND BECOME A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER.

THEY CAN DO THIS FOR FREE.

MICROSOFT HAS GIVEN US ACCESS TO THESE PATHWAYS AND WE CURATED THEM ON A WEBSITE.

WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IF THEY ARE NOT CURRENTLY WORKING OR ARE DISPLACED BECAUSE OF COVID, NOW'S THE BEST TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF AND NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO REINVENT YOURSELF.

WE ARE STRONG PROPONENTS OF MAKING SURE EVERYONE HAS THE DIGITAL ACUMEN THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE AND THAT IS A PENDULUM SWING WE HAVE SEEN COMING FOR QUITE A WHILE.

COVID HAS ACCELERATED THAT AND IF PEOPLE ARE SMART AND ASTUTE, THEY WOULD SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR FREE.

PETER: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

COVID IS GOING TO CHANGE THINGS GOING FORWARD TO WHAT WILL BE A NEW NORMAL.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM AND HOW DO THEY MAKE THEMSELVES KNOWN TO YOU?

THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION IS ARE WE WORKING TO DEVELOP SKILLS IN THE CONSTRUCTION FIELD?

I SAY THAT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, I ASSUME THERE IS GOING TO BE AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT'S GOING TO PASS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORK AROUND THE COUNTRY.

NINA: LET'S START WITH THE LAST PART FIRST.

BY 100% AGREE WE ARE GOING TO SEE UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MORE OF THOSE JOBS PROGRAMS LIKE WHAT WE SAW AFTER WORLD WAR II, GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.

WE ALSO SAW AFTER THE RECESSION IN 2008 AND 2009 THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT WHICH PRESIDENT BIDEN USHERED IN UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

THOSE SHELF READY PROJECTS THAT WERE READY TO GO AND WE THINK THE TRADES IN CONSTRUCTION ARE GOING TO BE A BIG AREA.

THREE COVID, WE HAD BEEN WORKING TO IDENTIFY SUPPORTING MINORITY OWNED VISITED -- BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A FOCUS IN THE TRADE AND CONSTRUCTION.

WE HOPE TO BE ANNOUNCING A PILOT PROGRAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SUPPORT THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH AN MBA, MBE BUSINESS UNIT.

WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND COVID HAS SHOWED US THAT SOME OF OUR MOST SUSCEPTIBLE COMPANIES ARE THOSE SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN DECIMATED THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY.

WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO GET RESOURCES SO WE CAN GET THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO THRIVE AND BE PREPARED FOR WHEN THESE DOLLARS BECOME AVAILABLE.

NETWORK IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

IN TERMS OF ELIGIBILITY, IT RUNS THE SPECTRUM.

THAT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PIECE WE ARE INVESTING IN, IT'S OPEN TO ANY RHODE ISLANDER.

IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, YOUR ZIP CODE DOESN'T MATTER, IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FREE.

FOR SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS AT OUR GRANT FUNDED, THEY HAVE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

ANY OF OUR ADULT PROGRAMS, WE IN -- WE REQUIRE YOU TO BE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED OR AT A CERTAIN THRESHOLD IN TERMS OF INCOME EVEL.

BUT WE ALWAYS TRY TO FIND A WAY -- I ALWAYS SKIRT THE RULES A LITTLE BIT AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET YOU THE HELP.

WHILE WE CERTAINLY HAVE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, WE WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU.

IN ADDITION TO VISITING OUR WEBSITE OR SENDING AN EMAIL, SOMETIMES THE EASIEST IS A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED TELEPHONE CALL.

WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GIVE US A CALL AND TELL US WHAT THEY NEED IN TERMS OF A JOB OR TRAINING PROGRAM AND WE CAN STEER YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECION.

BECAUSE OF THAT EXPANSIVE NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE, IF WE CAN'T HELP YOU, WE TRY TO GET YOU CONNECTED TO THE RESOURCES THAT CAN.

PETER: ON ANOTHER SHOW, I WAS TALKING WITH LISA AND SHE WAS SAYING ONE OF -- AND I'VE KNOWN THIS HISTORICALLY TO BE A PROBLEM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, GETTING ACCESS TO FUNDING.

A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH HAVING THE PROPER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.

A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES TODAY ARE REALLY ONE PERSON WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER PEOPLE PROVIDING SOME SORT OF SUPPORT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS KNOCKED A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES OUT OF THE RANKING FOR DOLLARS IS THE LACK OF FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE.

BOOKKEEPING SERVICES TO RESPOND.

THESE THINGS ARE THEY SICK IN BUSINESS, BUT NOT KNOWN BY ALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

NINA: ABSOLUTELY, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO PLAY A ROLE AND BE SUPPORTIVE AND HELP PEOPLE STRENGTHEN THEIR OPERATIONS.

FOR ME, WHAT WAS A TELLING SIGN, WHEN THE PPP LOANS ROLLED OUT AND A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT WERE READ LAST -- THAT WERE WELL-ESTABLISHED, THEY WERE FIRST IN LINE AND FIRST TO GET THE CHECKS WERE A SMALL BUSINESSES WHO MAY HAVE NOT HAD THAT BANKING RELATIONSHIPS OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION AND APPROPRIATE PAYROLL RECORDS AND BANKING RECORDS, THEY WERE BOXED OUT.

THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC SO THEY ARE FRONT OF THE LINE AND THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND HERE FOR A MOMENT, I SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND WHEN I GO THROUGH SOUTH PROVIDENCE -- I LIVE IN SOUTH PROVIDENCE AND WHEN I GO THROUGH THERE AND SEE CORNER STORES CLOSING AND FOLKS MIGHT BEGINNING THEIR FIRST JOBS IN THEIR LOCAL CORNER STORES AND WHEN YOU SEE THEM BOARDED UP AND NEIGHBORHOODS BLIGHTED, IT'S A RECIPE FOR ADDITIONAL SOCIAL ISSUES.

WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE SURE THOSE CORNER STORES AND OUR MAIN STREETS AND OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND UNDERS -- UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ARE THRIVING BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF TIMES THE FIRST EXPOSURE -- I THINK OF ALL THE KIDS IN PROVIDENCE AND IT'S THEIR FIRST EXPOSURE TO BUSINESS , TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS SOLID.

THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

EVEN TO GO ON APPLES AVENUE AND SEE THOSE DOORS SUTTERED, IT'S DISTURBING AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

PETER: A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BECOME ENTREPRENEURS WHEN THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER AND -- IF IT IS OVER, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT IT IS A FLU AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE VIRUSES OF MANY KINDS GOING FORWARD.

WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE OUR SKILL SET THAT PUTS THEM IN AN OFFICE OR A SKILL SET THAT IS SPECIFIC TO A TYPE OF INDUSTRY, THEY MAY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND START A SMALL BUSINESS OF THEIR OWN.

PEOPLE NEED ALTERNATIVES.

FORTUNATELY, FOR RHODE ISLANDERS, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

HOW BIG IS YOUR STAFF?

NINA: WE ARE UP TO 67.

PETER: THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW FAST YOU HAVE GROWN, BUT IT IS ALSO INDICATIVE OF THE NEED.

NINA: IT IS.

I WAS GOING TO SAY WHILE THE GROWTH HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS AND I'M HONORED AND PRIVILEGED TO LEAD THE ORGANIZATION, IT IS FOR THAT NEED, THE LACK OF RESOURCES.

OUR GROWTH THROUGH COVID IS BECAUSE THE NEED IS SO GREAT AND E NEED TO BE ABLE TT THINK THROUGH FOLKS WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED.

OUR UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS REMAIN HIGH AND EBB AND FLOW AS WE TACKLE ALL THINGS COVID, BUT WE HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT INTEREST BY NEWS CORPORATION'S COMING IN.

EVERYONE HAS FOLLOWED THE GOVERNORS NEED IN THIS BACK TO WORK INITIATIVE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MOVE OUR WORK VIRTUALLY VERY QUICKLY.

WE WENT TO A FULL ON VIRTUAL MODEL WHEN COVID HIT AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE A RESOURCE FOR NOT JUST OUR SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES BUT HELPING THE STATE THINK THROUGH HOW TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY AND MAKE SURE THE TALENT POOLS EXIST FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE NEEDED TODAY BUT ALSO PROACTIVELY THINKING ABOUT JOBS FOR THE FUTURE.

IF I COULD JUST ADD -- WE TALKED ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK WE OFTEN TIMES OVERLOOK THE GIG ECONOMY.

THERE ARE 70 PEOPLE WORKING IN THE GIG ECONOMY AND ON SOME LEVEL, THEY ARE THEIR OWN ENTREPRENEURS.

THEY ARE RUNNING THEIR OWN SMALL BUSINESS.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NOT JUST SMALL BUSINESS IN THE BRICK-AND-MORTAR SENSE, WE ARE LOOKING AT SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GIG ECONOMY.

THE UBER DRIVERS AND DELIVERY FOLKS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY ARE PROPERLY STRUCTURED TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AND UNDERSTAND THEIR RATES OF PAY AND WORKING CONDTIONS?

THAT IS A SEGMENT OF THE ECONOMY THAT HAS BEEN HIT HARD BECAUSE OF COVID.

AS SOMEBODY WHO TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THOSE FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES, WE NEED THEM.

I THINK COVID HAS SHOWN US THE VALUE OF THEIR WORK AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS AND APPRECIATE THEIR WORTH TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

PETER: THIS IS VERY TRUE.

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING -- THE GIG ECONOMY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THERE, LIKE IN UBER DRIVER -- IS THAT PERSON SET UP AS AN LLC OR SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, OR ARE THEY JUST MAKING MONEY?

NINA: IT IS KIND OF ALL THE ABOVE.

WE HAVE TAXI SERVICES THAT HAVE CONVERTED OVER TO UBER SERVICES TO STAY COMPETITIVE BUT EACH OF THE CORPORATIONS THEMSELVES WILL HAVE DIFFERENT RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPERATING REGULATIONS IN EVERY STATE.

EVEN WITHIN THOSE COMPANIES, YOUR REQUIREMENTS TO BE AN UBER DRIVER MIGHT BE DIFFERENT THAN BEING A GRUBHUB DRIVER.

TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING AND TAKING SURE IT IS DONE RIGHT AND NOT ONLY DONE RIGHT BUT WHERE ARE YOU STRATEGICALLY PLACING YOURSELF?

WAITING FOR DELIVERIES TO OCCUR IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT ZONE OR IN THE RIGHT PLACE, ARE YOU EVEN GOING TO MAKE MONEY?

PEOPLE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TIME AND EFFORT AND THOSE SKILLS THAT ARE SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO CLIMB THE ECONOMIC LADDER.

PETER: PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT IT IS THEY DO OR WOULD LIKE TO DO IN TERMS OF GETTING CONTRACTS AND RESPONDING TO THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND HAS A LOT OF WORK.

THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THERE IS WORK BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO GO AFTER THAT KIND OF WORK BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR COMPANY STRUCTURE OR CORPORATE STRUCTURE IS NOT THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.

NINA: 100%.

WHEN WE LAUNCH, YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON I'M GOING TO CALL TO SAY LET'S SCREAM FROM THE HILLTOPS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE LISA AND THE BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE HISPANIC CHAMBER, IT'S GOING TO TAKE EVERY ORGANIZATION TO PULL TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE WE ARE PULLING TOWARD THE SAME END GOAL.

PETER: IT WOULD BE SO WONDERFUL OF ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SIMILAR MISSIONS IN SOME CASES OR SOME PROGRAMS COULD SOMEHOW GET PAST WHO WANTS TO BE THE BIGGEST AND JOIN FORCES BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY IN THE PIE.

AND AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT 10 OR 15 ORGANIZATIONS GOING AFTER THE SAME PIECE HI, THERE'S GOING TO BE THIS CONSTANT CIRCLE.

THAT'S NOT RHODE ISLAND, THAT'S THE NATURE OF NONPROFIT WORK.

NINA: I ALSO THINK IN RHODE ISLAND, WE ARE UNIQUE IN SOME REGARDS.

WE HAVE OUR SISTERORGANIZATION IN CHICAGO AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THOSE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORLD HEADQUARTERS AND RICH AND ACCESSIBLE THAN HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE PRIVATELY HAD THIS CONVERSATION.

THERE ARE SO MANY NONPROFITS IN RHODE ISLAND AND WE HAVE SATURATED THE SITUATE -- SATURATED THE SITUATION.

IT'S NOT A GOOD OR BAD THING BUT RESOURCES BECOME SCARCE.

OUR APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS IS THE WAY TO GO.

OUR ORGANIZATION IS BUILT TO BE IN THE FRONT OF THE SCENES OR BEHIND-THE-SCENES AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WE ARE OPERATING IN CERTAIN SEGMENTS BECAUSE WE DO IT COVERTLY.

FOR ME, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHOSE BANNER IS ON THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.

IT'S ABOUT WHO -- HOW ARE WE CHANGING SYSTEMS AND MOVING THE NEEDLE.

WE START THAT CONVERSATION WHEN WE ARE ENTERING A PARTNERSHIP AND SAY WHO IS IN THE LEAD AND WHY AND LET'S UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORK IS.

I'M A BIG FAN OF US TAKING THE BACK SEAT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SOCIAL CAPITAL IT'S GOING TO ENRICH THE SPACE, LET'S MAKE YOU THE LEAD AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND WE WILL COME IN ON THE BACKEND AND SUPPORT AT 100%.

PETER: THAT IS THE WAY TODO IT.

PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT THEIR EGOS ASIDE AND THAT IS SOMETIMES A PROBLEM.

NINA: IT IS, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT PERSONALITY IN ME BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I WANT AND I KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND AS A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WHO HAS LIVED THIS LIFE, STARTING IN THE TRAINING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS -- WHEN YOU AND I FIRST MET, I'VE SEEN AND WITNESSED FIRSTHAND AND WITNESSED THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND I SEE THE STRUGGLE.

WHEN YOU GO INTO THE HOMES AND YOU SEE THE PARENTS STRUGGLING, DO I PAY A BILL OR PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THAT IS WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT.

THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN AMERICA.

PETER: 30 MINUTES GOES FAST.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

LET'S ASSUME OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR BECOMES SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.

WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THAT SECRETARY?

NINA: OF COURSE.

I FOUND OUR CURRENT GOVERNOR TO BE COLLABORATIVE IN THE WORK AND I KNOW SHE HAS A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS AND THE REASON SHE'S BEING CONSIDERED FOR CONFIRMATION RIGHT NOW WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE GOING SEAMLESSLY IS BECAUSE SHE BRINGS THAT COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT TO THE WORK AND SHE KNOWS IT TAKES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO GET THE WORK DONE.

SHE KNOWS SHE NEEDS BUSINESS ON HER SIDE BUT SHE ALSO NEEDS COMMUNITY ON HER SIDE AND ANY TIME SHE AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE, SHE RECOGNIZES TALENT AND EDUCATION ARE A BIG PART OF ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND SO SHE BELIEVES IN INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND INVESTING IN THOSE SYSTEMS AND I HOPE HOW SHE HAS LED THAT WORK AND WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE A PART OF IT IN RHODE ISLAND, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT LENS AND MOVE IT ON A LARGER NATIONAL SCALE.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT COME TO FRUITION BECAUSE I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED AND I BELIEVE IN MY HEART OF HEARTS SHE WILL NOT FORGET ABOUT OUR LOCAL MAIN STREETS.

PETER: IN 25 SECONDS OR LESS, TELL ME HAVE YOU HAD ANY INTERACTION WITH THE GOVERNOR-ELECT?

NINA: NOT AS OF RIGHT NOW.

I MET HIM A FEW TIMES PREVIOUSLY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE THE WORK NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE EVERY RHODE ISLANDER HAS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AND HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.

PETER: AS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, IT STILL MIGHT UNDERSTANDING -- I DON'T THINK IT HAS CHANGED MUCH, BUT THE MANDATE FOR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AS FAR AS THAT POSITIONS JOB DESCRIPTION IS SMALL BUSINESS AND VETERANS AND ANY OTHER WORK THE GOVERNOR ASSIGNED.

THOSE AREAS ARE WRITTEN INTO HIS POSITIONS PROCESS.

NINA: ABSOLUTELY.

AND HE HAS BEEN AN AMAZING ADVOCATE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH COVID AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH THROUGH THE SIDELINES AS HE CONTINUES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT A FORGOTTEN ENTITY IN THE EQUATION.

PETER: DO YOU HAVE ANY THING QUICK YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE VIEWERS?

NINA: I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEVER HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET THROUGH THAT SHOW BUT FOR ANYONE WATCHING WHO NEEDS JOB, FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GET ACCESS TO SOME OF THOSE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, PICK UP THE PHONE, GIVE US A CALL, WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

I HOPE WE CAN HELP YOU ON YOUR PATH TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

PETER: WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO THANK NINA PANDE FOR BEING ON THE SHOW AND YOU, THE VIEWERS, FOR TUNINGINTO ANOTHER SEGMENT OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

A SPECIAL THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THIS SHOW POSSIBLE.

I'M YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK OR TWITTER AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

♪ ANNOUNCER: SOMEONE GAVE, SOMEONE DONATED, SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY -- GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONE'S HAVE HELPED SHAPE RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS AMAZING