Employers, labor organizations, educational institutions and other eligible groups can apply for a total of $7 million in available funding through the Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) and the Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) grant programs.
The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Office of Apprenticeship said it will hold virtual technical assistance workshops on various dates in November and December for organizations interested in applying for these grants. The NJDOL strongly urges applicants to attend one of these workshops prior to submitting an application.
GAINS Grants
A total of $5 million is available through the GAINS program, which develops new and existing apprenticeship programs and creates registered apprenticeship programs in high-growth industries, with a focus on equality of opportunity, upward mobility, and economic fairness.
Proposals must provide new apprentices with a starting wage of at least $17 per hour unless a lower rate is justified. GAINS funding can be used to offset the training and associated costs of new registered apprentices and to reimburse up to 50% of new apprentices’ wages for a maximum of $12,000 per apprentice over 52 work weeks.
Since 2018, $30 million in GAINS funding has been awarded to place nearly 5,500 registered apprentices into employment. This includes such occupations as K-12 teacher apprentices, registered nurse residents, home health aides (dementia specialists), construction-related trades positions and many more.
A two-hour technical assistance workshop on the application for a GAINS grant will be held online at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13 and 1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 4. Organizations interested in attending either online workshop must register at least three days in advance.
PACE Grants
With $2 million in funding available, the PACE program was developed primarily to promote equal opportunities, upward mobility, and economic fairness while helping to alleviate economic barriers that hinder upskilling.
PACE programs provide tools such as job readiness, essential skills, and occupation-specific training, and funding that can be used to offset participants’ related costs, such as childcare, transportation, and the attainment of a high school equivalency diploma or GED.
These 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.
More than $16 million in PACE funding has been awarded since 2018 to prepare over 2,700 pre-apprentices to enter either registered apprenticeship, employment, or post-secondary education/vocational training.
Organizations funded through, or working in partnership with, the GAINS program are strongly encouraged to apply for PACE grants. The PACE program can provide a pipeline of candidates for registered apprenticeship programs funded through GAINS.
A two-hour technical assistance workshop on applying for a PACE grant will be held online at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 and Thursday, Dec. 5. Organizations interested in registering must do so at least three days in advance.
The deadline to submit a letter of intent for both PACE and GAINS grants is noon on Dec. 13 and the application deadline is noon on Dec. 20. Find complete details on NJDOL’s Grant Opportunities website.
