NJBIA Supports Bills to Expand Apprenticeship Programs in NJ

The Senate Labor Committee on Thursday released four bills, supported by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, which would expand apprenticeship opportunities in New Jersey to benefit job-seekers and employers who are having difficulty meeting the demand for skilled laborers.

“Apprenticeships give students hands-on learning that will help prepare them for successful careers,” said NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Mike Wallace. “Ensuring apprenticeships are diversified and include incentives for employers to get engaged is integral to expanding these opportunities in New Jersey.”

The four bills are part of a 10-bill package designed to make apprenticeships accessible to more New Jersey residents, particularly in high-growth industries. The bills released by the committee on Thursday would:

• Provide corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for businesses that employ apprentices in state-registered apprenticeships (S-3062).
• Establish a task force to develop a statewide plan to diversify apprenticeships (S-3064).
• Require the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to establish an apprenticeship mentoring program for women, minorities, and people with disabilities (S-3068).
• Provide funding for the NJ PLACE program to establish college credit toward degrees in connection with new and existing apprenticeship programs (S-3070).

The bills are sponsored by Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, D-29; Senator Troy Singleton, D-7; and Senator Linda Greenstein, D-14.