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Through our Upskill program, New Jersey employers (labor unions, businesses, and community organizations) may receive training grants of up to $2,000 per worker to improve the skills of existing employees. Training may be provided by employers at their business or by an eligible training provider.

Our Opportunity Partnership program provides employers the chance to design the training programs they need to fill skill gaps in their industry. Through this program, employers develop a customized training program for employer-vetted participants—and, upon completion of the training, employers have new hires with the specific skills they have prioritized.

How does Opportunity Partnership work?

By participating in the program, we’ll help connect you with an educational institution or training provider to develop training programs tailored to meet your workforce development needs. Upon completing the program, trainees will be qualified for entry-level positions in your company. Ultimately, everyone wins—you get workers qualified to fill your job openings, the training provider gets great results, and the trainees graduate directly into a job—all because we planned together.

Why should I participate?

We want employers to be satisfied with their new hires—and we want to help save them money on training. To lay the groundwork for a positive outcome, employers get to interview and select applicants to participate in their training program. Plus, all training costs are covered by grants paid by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Is the Opportunity Partnership program right for me?

Opportunity Partnership is a great opportunity for employers eager for partnerships that yield positive results for their industry. This means providing training providers input about what training is needed and working with staff at our One-Stop Career Centers to recruit potential new hires.

We carefully review partnership proposals to ensure that jobs await successful trainees/graduates. Contracts are written only if the school can show a tight connection with the named employer-partner(s). A "letter of support" is not sufficient. We will verify information stated on the proposal, confirming the positions with you and when you expect the jobs to be open. Only deserving proposals are funded.

On-the-Job Training is a cost-effective way to fill your positions with job-ready, prescreened candidates. Through the program, wage reimbursement eases the expense of onboarding and training new employees. Unlike many employment assistance programs, this program has no hourly wage caps—so, you may hire someone for more complex positions in a higher salary range.

How it works

Employers who hire for full-time positions that pay above the state minimum wage are reimbursed 50% of the salary (capped at $10,000 per contract and $200,000 per employer per fiscal year) for agreeing to provide training to an unemployed jobseeker or a public assistance recipient for a period of up to 26 weeks. Employers who hire individuals receiving public assistance may also be eligible for no-cost, six-month, $25,000 federal bonds.

Participation requirements

• New hires must be New Jersey residents who are unemployed or facing imminent layoffs from their current employer. They either must be currently receiving unemployment benefits OR must have exhausted their benefits within the past 52 weeks OR must meet the criteria to be regarded as a dislocated worker.
• Workers must be paid above the state minimum wage.
• Positions must be for full-time (at least 32 hours per week) and long-term employment.
• The employer must provide substantive on-the-job training at their location, on their equipment, under their guidelines. The length of training is determined by the participant's demonstrated skills gap and the job description.
• The employer must submit trainee evaluations and payroll records for wage reimbursement, up to 50 percent.
• Depending on the complexity of skills to be learned and the qualifications of your new employee, the contract period will range from 4 to 26 weeks.

The Workforce 55+ On-the-Job Experience program offers private, non-profit employers the opportunity to observe and train eligible jobseekers (55 years old or older, income eligible, and unemployed) before they hire them. Through this program, participant salaries are covered for four weeks by a federal grant.

Registered Apprenticeship is an industry-driven training model that combines work-based learning with classroom instruction. Employees are trained in the latest technologies without losing valuable production time. By investing in employee knowledge, employers improve productivity and profitability.

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