TRENTON, September 13 – Commissioner Harold J. Wirths announced today that the Christie Administration is investing $3.25 million in the first round of training grants awarded though the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Customized Training and Literacy Basic Skills Training grants program. A total of 59 grants were awarded to companies and consortia of multiple employers through a competitive process. Additional funds will be awarded on a competitive basis in the coming months.

“Governor Christie and Lt. Governor Guadagno are focused on making New Jersey an attractive home for business and job growth,” said Commissioner Wirths. “Building a skilled workforce is an important component of this Administration’s overall economic development agenda. The investment we are making through these grants, even in a difficult fiscal year, will fund training in the specific skills employers identified as necessary for their businesses to become more competitive and successful for the future.”

The grants will assist more than 190 participating companies to raise the productivity and skills of their workers and increase their ability to compete in the global economy. The grants will be used to provide training to more than 10,000 individuals.

More than 68 percent of the grants will assist small and medium size businesses and over one-third of the grants will assist manufacturing companies. The grants will leverage an additional $4.9 million investment in training from the participating companies.

Deputy Commissioner Richard E. Constable III said the grant process is designed to increase the competitive edge of New Jersey employers. “This is just the first round of grants that will be awarded during the fiscal year. I encourage businesses to examine their training needs and see if a cooperative investment through these grants can help their businesses and their workers better compete in today’s global economy.”

The Customized Training and Literacy Training grants are funded by the state’s Workforce Development Partnership Program. Customized Training grants provide training geared to the specific needs of each business. Workplace Literacy Training helps incumbent workers improve vital workplace skills in basic computer applications, mathematics and measurement, verbal, written, and customer service communications, and English as a second language.

Individual businesses or consortia of businesses led by educational institutions, non-profit organizations, trade associations and labor unions are eligible to apply for grants on an on-going basis. Information on grants, how to apply and grant recipients, can be found at: Department of Labor and Workforce Development 

Interested applicants will be matched with a Business Representative from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development who will work with the applicant throughout the process.

Examples of grants awarded include:

Water Jel Technologies, a manufacturer of emergency first aid burn care products, located in Carlstadt has been awarded a Literacy training grant from LWD in the amount of $31,700.  The company will contribute an additional $31,800 to train employees in English as a Second Language, PC Skills and Basic Communication. 

Novel Laboratories, located in Franklin Township, Somerset, has been awarded a Customized Training grant in the amount of $42,200.  Novel Laboratories develops, manufactures, markets and distributes new and generic drug products. The company will use the grant and an additional $55,809 in company funds to provide English Technical writing, Business General, PC Skills and Leadership for Results training to their employees.

Cooper Health Systems, a provider of comprehensive health services, medical education and clinical research in Southern New Jersey has been awarded a Literacy training grant from LWD in the amount of $25,600. Cooper Health will contribute $28,640 to train employees in English as a Second Language and Basic Communication. 

The New Jersey Restaurant Association located in Trenton has been awarded a Customized Training grant in the amount of $200,000 to train employees of their member companies. The NJ Restaurant Association, representing approximately 23,000 food service operations, will provide training in proper food safety handling techniques and general restaurant operations. Participating companies are contributing $260,000 to the training effort to further assist their employees to increase their skills and make them more marketable.

Vehicle Safety, a business located in Newark that manufactures heavy-duty turn signal switches, lighting fixtures for class 8 trucks and some parts for golf carts, received a grant for $40,097. VSM will contribute an additional $40,097 to train all 50 of their employees in ISO Quality Systems, Six Sigma, Team Building and Precision Production Trades.

Compass Wire Cloth, a manufacturer of wire mesh screens and products for solid and liquid filtration, separation, food processes and pharmaceuticals located in Vineland, received a Customized Training grant in the amount of $19,200.  Compass Wire Cloth will contribute $30,338 to provide Lean Manufacturing, Business Management, Business Administration and Business General to 34 employees.

EDAX Inc., located in Mahwah NJ was awarded a Customized Training grant in the amount of $39,800 to provide Team Building, PC Skills, Engineering-Related training, Enterprise Resource Planning, General Business and Lean Manufacturing training to their employees. EDAX Inc., which manufactures and markets energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis, electron backscatter diffraction and micro x-ray fluorescence systems, will contribute $48,800 to the training in the form of employee wages.

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