Gov. Mikie Sherrill, acting Labor Commissioner Kevin Jarvis and federal officials kicked off National Apprenticeship Week on Monday at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory to spotlight the nation’s first registered apprenticeship program in fusion energy and engineering.
PPPL's program trains technicians to build and operate fusion reactors, the leading edge of clean, carbon-free energy development. The initiative was launched in 2019 with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and state Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s (NJDOL) Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) grant program.
PPPL holds the national distinction of being a USDOL Apprenticeship Ambassador, the only employer in the country to hold that designation in the field of fusion energy and engineering. Most recently, PPPL became the first employer partner in New Jersey's trailblazing artificial intelligence apprenticeship, the Machine Learning Data Scientist program, sponsored by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges.
"What is happening at PPPL is national-level workforce development, right here in New Jersey — and this is exactly the kind of forward-thinking partnerships we need to build a strong economy that works for everyone,” Jarvis said.
Sherrill said apprenticeships are not just a workforce priority, they are the “cornerstone of New Jersey's economic future.”
“We are committed to empowering Garden State workers with the in-demand, cutting-edge skills that drive innovation and keep our state competitive,” Sherrill said. “Pathways like those at PPPL prove that when we invest in earn-and-learn opportunities, we build more than careers — we build the foundation our state and country will stand on for generations to come."
PPPL Director Steven Cowley said PPPL has long been a leader not only in fusion science but in cultivating the next generation of highly skilled technicians and scientists.
“This apprenticeship is a model for how we can connect cutting-edge research with real career opportunities right here in New Jersey,” Crowley said.
National Apprenticeship Week, recognized by the US Department of Labor, runs from April 26 through May 2. New Jersey expands this effort by observing the entire month of April as “Apprenticeship Month,” when statewide efforts showcase the value of earn-and-learn career pathways.
Apprenticeship programs offer participants a guaranteed wage from day one, with increases as skills develop, and culminate in a nationally recognized, portable credential. Programs typically run one to four years, and participants work during the entire experience.
Nationally, apprenticeship graduates earn an average starting salary of $80,000 upon program completion, with 90 percent of graduates remaining employed after program completion. Over a worker’s lifetime, apprenticeship graduates earn $300,000 more than their peers who did not pursue this career pathway.
For small and large employers alike, apprenticeship provides a pipeline to talent and the ability to build a workforce that meets their precise needs, with unique opportunities to instill organizational culture that helps with employee retention and strengthens the local, state and regional economy.
Since the NJDOL Office of Apprenticeship was first established in 2018, New Jersey has invested approximately $115 million in grant funding to develop apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and work-based learning programs. That investment has produced:
- More than 1,600 new Registered Apprenticeship programs, representing a 170% increase since 2018
- 27,693 newly onboarded apprentices statewide
- 10,811 currently active apprentices across 1,639 programs
- NJDOL recently awarded eight new grants within the manufacturing sector totaling $2,325,300 and 34 grants within the healthcare sector totaling $15,939,027.
Employers who would like more information about apprenticeship programs can go to the NJDOL’s website here.
