NJDOL Announces $6M in Grants for Earn-While-You-Learn Opportunities
he New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s (NJDOL) Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning has announced $6 million in available funding through its first round of the FY27 Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) grant program, which supports employers and organizations in creating new Registered Apprenticeship programs or expanding existing programs into new occupations.
The GAINS program helps employers build talent pipelines while providing New Jersey residents with earn-and-learn opportunities that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, leading to nationally recognized credentials and sustainable careers. Employers can receive up to 50 percent wage reimbursement for newly hired apprentices — capped at $12,000 per apprentice over one year — as well as funding to offset training costs including instructors, materials, and curriculum development.
Over the past eight years, $51.8 million in GAINS funding has been awarded to place more than 8,560 Registered Apprentices into employment across diverse fields including K-12 Teacher Apprentices, Registered Nurse Residents, Home Health Aides, Engineering Technicians, Network Support Specialists, construction-related trades, and many other high-demand occupations.