DOL Announces $1.5M in Grant Funding For Women & Minorities for Trade Careers
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) Office of Apprenticeship announced the availability of $1.5 million in grant funding through the New Jersey Builder’s Utilization Initiative for Labor Diversity (NJBUILD) Women and Minorities in Construction Trades program.
This funding will support the training of women and minority New Jersey residents in the building and construction industry.
The Women and Minorities in Construction Trades Program (WMIC) seeks to eliminate economic barriers commonly associated with investing in skills training and work readiness to connect women and minorities to quality career and training opportunities in the construction trades.
“The NJBUILD initiative is an investment in New Jersey’s communities and future,” said Acting Labor Commissioner Kevin D. Jarvis. “By empowering women and minority workers with the training needed to excel in the construction trades, we are laying the foundation for a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our state and drives economic growth.”
This is the second round of NJBUILD grant funding in fiscal year 2026 to support the training of women and minority program participants in preparation for placement in registered apprenticeships or full-time, long-term employment in the construction industry or building and construction trades. This program provides quality support services to women and minorities to ensure both successful placement and employment retention.
Since fiscal year, the Department of Labor has awarded more than $23 million in NJBUILD funding through the Women and Minorities in Construction and the Women and Minority Veterans in Construction competitive grant programs to train more than 2,400 New Jersey women and minorities in the building and construction trades.