NJ Department of Labor Announces $4 Million in Funding for Growing Apprenticeships Program

New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development has recently announced a second round of $4 million available funding through the Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) grant program. The aim of the grant program is to support better-paying careers and the attainment of advanced credentials through the expansion of United States Department of Labor-approved Registered Apprenticeship programs.

Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo explains how apprenticeships provide workers with the stability of a fair wage during training and throughout their careers, stating that the “earn-while-you-learn” model plays a critical role in developing trained and skilled workers where they're needed the most.

The GAINS program focuses on creating Registered Apprenticeship programs in high-growth industries and developing new and existing apprenticeship programs, with a particular emphasis on promoting equality of opportunity, upward mobility, and economic fairness. The program prioritizes applications targeting underrepresented populations, with over two-thirds of GAINS grantees being females or minorities.

The GAINS grant has provided opportunities for women and people of color, with more than two-thirds of GAINS grantees being females or minorities, twice the average among all apprenticeship programs in the state. Women account for 67 percent of GAINS apprentices, greater than seven times the statewide average of female apprentices when Governor Murphy took office in 2018. Currently, more than half of GAINS apprentices are in the healthcare sector and supporting the COVID-19 response.

The GAINS grant is part of Governor Murphy’s New Jersey Apprenticeship Network, which aims to make New Jersey a leader for apprenticeship programs nationwide and provide options for all New Jerseyans to build meaningful careers across a wide range of employers. New Jersey has created 544 new Registered Apprenticeship programs – an 89 percent increase – and on-boarded 13,483 new apprentices under Governor Murphy’s administration. The state currently has more than 8,200 active apprentices in over 1,150 programs.

Proposals for the GAINS grant must provide new apprentices with a starting wage of no less than $16 per hour, unless a lower rate is justified. The grant can be used to reimburse up to 50 percent of new apprentices’ wages for a maximum of $12,000 per apprentice over 52 work weeks.

The GAINS grant has previously awarded funding to eight applicants to onboard more than 700 apprentices in occupations such as nursing, plumbing, electrical maintenance, cyber security, community health, home health aide, pharmacy support, operating engineer, associate preschool teacher, hair stylist, massage therapist, and truck driver.

Virtual technical assistance (TA) workshops are available on March 16 and March 24, and the Letter of Intent is due on April 6, while the application is due on April 14.

Key dates:

• March 16, 1 pm and March 24, 1 pm: Virtual technical assistance (TA) workshops (pre-registration required at least three business days prior to workshop date; applicants are strongly encouraged to attend)
• April 6: Letter of Intent due by noon
• April 14: Application due by noon

View complete details and the full Notice of Grant Opportunity here.

Find more information on the New Jersey Office of Apprenticeship here.