Official Site of The State of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2025

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) is celebrating National Apprenticeship Day on April 30 with the launch of the state’s first-ever Registered Apprenticeship program in infant and toddler care during a special event at The Learning Center in Lawrenceville. This initiative marks yet another milestone in the Murphy Administration’s ongoing commitment to increasing apprenticeship opportunities, which has been bolstered by nearly $100 million in state funding. 

The new Infant Toddler Registered Apprenticeship was developed by NJDOL and the state Department of Human Services (DHS), with support from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), as part of a pilot program. The federal Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) funded the pilot and the program was approved by the USDOL earlier this year. 

Since Governor Murphy took office in January 2018, the state has invested more than $90 million through a suite of grants to develop apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and work-based learning programs, with the expectation of reaching nearly $100 million by the close of the fiscal year at the end of June 2025. Administered by NJDOL’s Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, these grants have contributed to the creation of about 850 new Registered Apprenticeship programs – a 139 percent increase – in a wide variety of occupations such as construction, registered nursing, pharmacy technicians, stagehands, water treatment plant operators, fiber optic technicians, and many more. This funding has also helped onboard nearly 23,000 new apprentices. The state currently has approximately 9,500 active apprentices in about 1,460 programs. 

“As we approach nearly $100 million in state investments in apprenticeships, New Jersey continues to set a national standard for workforce development and innovation,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “By making apprenticeships available in non-traditional sectors like early childhood education, we are not only nurturing our youngest citizens but also ensuring a diverse and dynamic workforce. And by bolstering the child care sector we’re in turn providing vital support to parents and caregivers who depend on child care to work and support their families.” 

“I thank the Department of Labor for their partnership in expanding this apprenticeship program to help address workforce shortages in the child care industry. By launching the state’s first apprenticeship in infant and toddler care, New Jersey is taking another step toward ensuring that child care centers are equipped with well-trained staff, providing stability and high-quality care for working families. I look forward to our continued efforts to strengthen the early childhood workforce and ensure that high-quality child care is accessible to more working families,” said Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. 

“This pioneering apprenticeship program is a significant step in transforming how we prepare our early childcare workers for a fulfilling future,” added Assistant Commissioner Yolanda Allen of NJDOL’s Division of Workforce Development. “I extend my deepest gratitude to all our partners and our grantees for their unwavering support and commitment to making this vision a reality.” 

“New Jersey’s working families depend on accessible, high-quality child care, and the industry depends on a dedicated and well-trained workforce,” said New Jersey Department of Children and Families Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer. “By launching this new apprenticeship program, we are mobilizing another facet of state support to strengthen and grow New Jersey’s child care sector. This is an example of an all-of-government approach in which state agencies are stepping up to the challenge, and developing cross-disciplinary strategies that will help New Jersey business leaders and families alike thrive.” 

“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is making historic investments in child care, strengthening the state’s economic security and supporting working families,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “Through initiatives like the NJDOL’s Infant Toddler Registered Apprenticeship Program and the NJEDA’s Child Care Facilities Improvement Program, which is funding improvements at nearly 600 child care centers across the state, including the Learning Center in Lawrenceville and several other NJDOL apprenticeship sites, families will have expanded access to high-quality child care facilities and providers. These investments are helping bolster New Jersey’s standing as the best state in the nation to raise a family.” 

Program grantees were announced in November, with 14 employers awarded $15,000 for each of 20 apprentices to be served, for a total of $300,000. The funding supports both apprentice and mentor compensation and covers associated costs, such as substitute reimbursement, out-of-class planning time, marketing and recruitment, and onboarding expenses. 

Four of the 14 employers are also NJEDA grantees in the Child Care Facilities Improvement Program, collectively receiving a total of $777,610 from EDA’s program, demonstrating the state’s whole-of-government approach to solving workforce needs. 

“We are thrilled to be part of this pilot apprenticeship program, which gives our staff the opportunity to grow in their careers as Early Childhood Educators with ongoing support, mentorship, and skills training,” said Kristen Kramley, director of The Learning Center, a program grantee. “Early childhood education lays the foundation for social, emotional, and cognitive development – and there couldn’t be a more important job. This program not only strengthens our staff but ultimately supports brighter futures for the children and families we serve.” 

Each apprentice has been onboarded by sponsor agency, Public Consulting Group (PCG). All apprentices are pre-approved and eligible for a scholarship of about $2,700 each, on average. Additionally, each apprentice’s mentor has begun working with the Early Childhood Leadership Institute (ECLI) at Rowan University, which will provide ongoing training and coaching to support the mentors in their roles. 

The complete list of grantees is below:

To see current NJDOL notices of grant opportunities, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/labor/research-info/grants.shtml 

For more information on the New Jersey Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning, please visit: http://apprenticeship.nj.gov. 

For more information on New Jersey’s child care program under the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, visit www.childcarenj.gov.

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