Official Site of The State of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2023

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) has announced $3 million available in a second round of grant funding through the Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) training program. The first round of $2 million for the current fiscal year was released in November 2022.

The PACE program was developed primarily to alleviate economic barriers that hinder upskilling. PACE programs provide job readiness, essential skills, and occupation-specific training, with funding that can be used to offset participants’ related costs, such as childcare and transportation.

“Apprenticeship is a strong stepping stone for anyone starting out in the workforce or changing their career path, and we want to ensure everyone gets a fair shot at these opportunities,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “Eliminating common obstacles to job training can have an enormous impact in leading an individual to gainful employment, and the stability, dignity, and self-sufficiency that comes with it.”

The first round of Fiscal Year 2023 PACE awardees are listed below:

Pre-apprenticeship programs funded through PACE prepare participants for placement into a Registered Apprenticeship program, a post-secondary college or an occupation-specific career training program, or into the workforce. PACE programs must be partnered with at least one Registered Apprenticeship program sponsor. Together, the programs expand career pathways with industry-based training and classroom instruction, leading to better-paying positions and advanced credentials.

“With the generous PACE grant, NPower has been able to make an even greater impact on New Jersey’s underserved community by training under-resourced students in technology and placing them in apprenticeships and jobs that impact not only the life of the participant, but their family and community,” said Helen Kogan, Executive Director of NPower New Jersey, a PACE grantee. “The NJDOL team continues to stand as a supportive resource and ally to the recipients of the PACE grant.”

PACE was developed by the New Jersey Office of Apprenticeship, which is part of Governor Murphy’s New Jersey Apprenticeship Network initiative announced in March of 2018. During Governor Murphy’s administration, New Jersey has created 553 new Registered Apprenticeship programs – a 91 percent increase – and onboarded 13,626 new apprentices. The state currently has 8,256 active apprentices in 1,164 programs.

Key dates:

• April 4, 1 pm and April 11, 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 21: Letter of Intent due by noon
• April 28: 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.

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