The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Friday announced the awarding of $1.9 million in grants to support access and training for women and minorities seeking careers in the construction trades.
The funding is made available through the New Jersey Builders Utilization Initiative for Labor Diversity program (NJBUILD). Four organizations are receiving FY25 Round 1 grants collectively totaling $1,932,524 that will train 140 workers for jobs in general construction, HVAC, plumber pre-apprenticeships and more.
The grant awardees are Pathways to Apprenticeship NJ ($600,000); the Elizabeth Development Company ($537,280); Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Center ($351,780); and the East Orange School District ($443,464).
During the past six years, the state has invested more than $73 million through grant programs to create and develop work-based learning, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship programs, the NJDOL said. Last year, a record-setting $8.5 million was awarded through NJBUILD, the highest amount in the program’s 15-year history, NJDOL said.
“NJBUILD grants are critical investments in the future of New Jersey women and minorities who want to build a career in the construction trades,” Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said. “These funds will empower them with the skills and opportunities needed to not just open doors in this industry but to succeed. By fostering a more inclusive workforce, we are ensuring that we are creating a fairer, stronger Garden State today and for generations to come.”
NJBUILD is comprised of the Women and Minorities in Construction program and the Women and Minority Veterans in Construction program. Both programs promote outreach and occupational skills training such as pre-apprenticeship training, registered apprenticeship, and on-the-job training for women and minority residents.
This training helps participants gain workforce readiness and the skills needed to enter a union apprenticeship or construction-related job. The program also assists public works contractors, businesses, and trade unions in meeting their workforce needs by reimbursing them for wages and related costs.
