N.J. labor department offers $9M to expand apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship programs
TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is making $9 million available to help create and expand apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs statewide, launching a second round of fiscal year 2026 funding through two grant initiatives.
The funding includes $6 million through the Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors program — known as GAINS — and $3 million through the Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education program, or PACE, the department said. Officials said the money is intended to increase work-based learning opportunities and build pipelines into higher-demand industries.
Under the Murphy administration, New Jersey has invested more than $110 million in grants to develop work-based learning, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, the department said. The state said those investments helped create 972 new Registered Apprenticeship programs — a 159% increase — and enabled 26,577 new apprentices to be onboarded. New Jersey currently has 10,575 active apprentices in 1,583 programs, officials said.
“This $9 million in grant funding demonstrates New Jersey’s ongoing commitment to building a workforce that is both skilled and adaptable, ensuring our residents are better equipped for the challenges of the modern economy,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “The GAINS and PACE grants are pivotal in this mission, providing vital support to apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. By investing in these initiatives, we are not only fostering career growth and mobility but also paving a pathway for a more inclusive and prosperous future for every New Jerseyan.”
GAINS is designed to develop new and existing apprenticeship programs and create Registered Apprenticeship programs in high-growth industries, with the department emphasizing “equality of opportunity, upward mobility, and economic fairness.” Proposals must provide new apprentices with a starting wage of at least $18 an hour unless a lower rate is justified, officials said.
GAINS funding can be used to offset training and related costs for new registered apprentices and to reimburse up to 50% of wages for new apprentices — up to $12,000 per apprentice over 52 work weeks, the department said.
Since 2018, the state has awarded $45.8 million in GAINS funding to place more than 6,000 registered apprentices into employment, the department said, including teacher apprentices, registered nurse residents, home health aide dementia specialists and construction trades.
“The GAINS grant has been instrumental in allowing LearnED Potential to expand and strengthen our Registered Teacher Apprenticeship programs across New Jersey,” said Gabriela Timothy, founder & Apprenticeship Program Director at LearnED Potential L.L.C., a GAINS grantee. “With this funding, we have been able to remove financial barriers for dozens of aspiring educators, increase access to high-quality training and mentorship, and build sustainable pathways into the teaching profession, particularly for individuals from underrepresented communities. Since receiving GAINS support, our program capacity, performance outcomes, and employer partnerships have grown significantly, directly contributing to a more prepared and diverse educator workforce for New Jersey’s students.”
For GAINS, the labor department said it will host virtual technical assistance workshops at 1 p.m. Feb. 19 and March 25, with pre-registration required at least three business days in advance. A letter of intent is due by noon April 10, and applications are due by noon April 17.
PACE, the second grant program, is intended to help reduce barriers that can prevent participants from entering training programs, including costs for child care, transportation and obtaining a GED or high school equivalency diploma, the department said. PACE programs must partner with at least one Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor, officials said.
More than $25 million in PACE funding has been awarded during the Murphy administration to prepare more than 3,200 pre-apprentices to enter registered apprenticeship programs, employment, or post-secondary education and vocational training, the department said.
“The PACE Grant has played a vital role in strengthening Rowan College at Burlington County’s commitment to the community by expanding access to training and employment opportunities that lead to meaningful careers and sustainable, living-wage employment,” said David I. Spang Ph.D., M.B.A., who is the Acting President of PACE grantee Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC). “Through PACE funding, RCBC has been able to support community members who may otherwise face barriers to entry into the healthcare workforce, helping them take confident first steps toward long-term career success.”
The department said organizations funded through — or working in partnership with — GAINS are encouraged to apply for PACE to help build a pipeline of candidates for registered apprenticeship programs. For PACE, technical assistance workshops are scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 22 and Feb. 18; letters of intent are due by noon March 6, and applications are due by noon March 13.
