NJDOL awards $2M in apprenticeship grants

Matthew Fazelpoor//July 21, 2022

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced the awarding of $2.17 million in grants Wednesday to seven businesses and organizations.

The funding is provided through the Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) and Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) grant programs, which support the creation and expansion of apprenticeships throughout the state. Both are part of the New Jersey Apprenticeship Network, which was established in 2018 to grow apprenticeship programs in the Garden State.

“We’re proud to partner with these employers who recognize the value of apprenticeship and its impact on developing a strong and skilled workforce,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “Apprenticeship allows employers to build the talent they need and gives workers the opportunity to earn a wage while learning skills that will lead to a gainful career.”

manufacturing apprenticeships — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced the awarding of $2.17 million in grants to seven businesses and organizations. – DEPOSIT PHOTOS

More than $1.5 million is being awarded through the GAINS grant program across five employers. The program seeks to develop new and existing apprenticeship programs, as well as create new programs in high-growth industries while bolstering businesses that have been adversely impacted by the pandemic.

The five GAINS grantees include:

Hamilton Ryker – $529,295
Elizabeth Development Co. – $231,934
Barnabas Health – $475,000
Laury Heating Cooling – $158,600)
Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship – $187,600

“Laury Heating has a passion for providing opportunity to our team members, many of whom are the young people of our community,” said Kasie Harris, CEO and co-owner of the Vineland-based company. “This grant will help continue to grow, continue to train young people in a skill that will serve them and their families for a lifetime, and allow us to serve more people in South Jersey with excellent heating and cooling services.”

“We are thrilled to receive this support from NJDOL to provide a step for so many into the life science industry,” said Keith Bostian, dean of the New Jersey Center for Science, Technology, and Mathematics (NJCSTM) at Kean University, speaking on behalf of the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship. “Kean University is an outstanding learning environment, and the Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship is an excellent partner for employment opportunities.”

The PACE grant program, which awarded nearly $600,000, supports pre-apprenticeship programs that provide education and training to prepare participants for either placement into a Registered Apprenticeship program, a post-secondary college or occupation-specific career training program, or the workforce.