HCST is one of six school districts in the state receiving the Expanding Pre-Apprenticeship in a New Direction (ExPAND) grant money, which totals $600,000.
The county school district will partner with Easter Millworks, an automation and manufacturing company, and Drape Kings, a pipe and drape design company, to create a pre-apprenticeship program for the high-demand industry.
Gov. Phil Murphy said the ExPAND grant supports a key element of his Jobs NJ initiative, a statewide strategy designed to give better opportunities to the state’s workforce in high-growth job markets. The grant provides more opportunities for students to gain the skills they need for high-quality jobs, he said.
“The goal of Jobs NJ is to close the gap between the needs of employers and the skills of prospective employees,” Murphy said. “The ExPAND grant aligns with that vision, providing young people with the training and education they need for high-demand jobs.”
Hudson County Community College and New Jersey Institute of Technology will partner with HCST to provide college credits to students for related instruction or on-the-job training related to the pre-apprenticeship program.
The program will prepare high school students to transition to an apprenticeship program after graduation. In some cases, the pre-apprenticeship grant may give the student credit toward their future apprenticeship program.
“These kinds of partnerships with school districts, industry and higher education can give young people the real-world experience they need for success after high school,” said DOE Commissioner Lamont Repollet.
Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools, West Orange Public Schools, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, Salem County Vocational Technical Schools and Wildwood City School District were also selected to start pre-apprenticeship programs.
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