Norcross Announces $450K in Funding for Registered Apprenticeships Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

CHERRY HILL, NJ – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) today announced that the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJ DOL) will receive over $450,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to improve and expand their Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) model by strengthening the national apprenticeship system, promoting system alignment and partnership and improving data sharing and data integrity. New Jersey was one of 42 states and U.S. territories awarded funding for their RAP through the Building State Capacity to Expand Apprenticeship through Innovation grant.

“America needs a well-trained workforce to help build our future, and registered apprenticeships are a critical component,” said Congressman Norcross, a graduate of the IBEW apprenticeship program. “The current pandemic has highlighted the need for skilled workers, and this federal grant funding will ensure that Registered Apprenticeship Programs are equipped with the resources to address the nation’s challenges and continue training New Jersey’s highly skilled workforce for years to come.”

“Registered Apprenticeship has served as the gold standard for training and up-skilling our workforce in the United States for more than 80 years, and we are proud to be leading the nation in apprenticeship growth and opportunities under the administration of Gov. Phil Murphy,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “By securing this USDOL Apprenticeship State Expansion grant, New Jersey will continue to build on its commitment to support apprenticeship career pathways that lead to economically sustainable wages for woman and people of color in the healthcare sector. This grant will also support our employer partners by helping them develop a highly skilled workforce, which is the foundation of our ability to thrive and complete globally as a state.”

These funds will be used to take on new tasks such as expanding registered apprenticeships in healthcare, incorporating strategies that would expand Registered Apprenticeship opportunities to typically underserved communities, establishing incentives for employers to expand their Registered Apprenticeships, and launching strategies that would expand RAPs to new industries.

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