Upskill: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grant Program

Amount: up to $200K in reimbursement.

The Upskill: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grant Program provides resources to support training of current employees to retain employment or advance in the company, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the employee and employer. This Upskilling/Reskilling training program helps defray the cost of training existing employees.

Purpose of the Program

The purpose of the UPSKILL: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grant program is to provide New Jersey-based employers up to 50% cost reimbursement assistance to train incumbent frontline employees to meet current and future occupational skill requirements. Grant funds are not intended for company-required annual training or new-employee orientation training.

The Upskill grant program’s primary focus will be on the nine strategic business sectors (Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Film & Digital Media, Finance & Professional Services, Food & Beverage, Life Sciences, Offshore Wind, Technology, Transportation & Logistics) as identified by the Governor’s Economic Development Plan.

Eligibility Requirements

Here are some of the general requirements for this grant if you’re a single employer:

• • Be an N.J.-based employer
  • Have employees concentrated in one of the following nine strategic business sectors:
    • Advanced manufacturing
    • Clean energy
    • Film and digital media
    • Finance and professional services
    • Food and beverage (non-retail)
    • Life sciences
    • Offshore wind
    • Technology
    • Transportation and logistics
  • Develop a job-training plan that would enhance the skills of existing employees to meet current and future business goals
  • Commit to retain your trainees for at least six months after training is completed
  • Provide a current tax clearance certificate
  • Have a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number

Eligible Training and Expenses

Types of training include:

• Third-Party Classroom Training
• On-the-Job Training (OJT) and
• Company In-House Training.

Individual employer grants will require a minimum of 5 trainees per class while Consortium employers will require a minimum of 10 trainees per class.

Eligible expenses include tuition fees, textbooks, software and examination/credentialing fees. OJT and Company In-House Training, available only to single employers, is reimbursed at 50% of the base wages of trainees during training. Classroom-based training providers must be located in New Jersey.

Selection Criteria

UPSKILL: NJ Incumbent Worker Training Grants are competitive. All completed applications submitted by the due date and time for each round will be reviewed and rated by a diverse panel comprised of NJDOL representatives who will make funding recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. All awards are subject to final approval by the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Eligibility Timeline

Round 1 – November 8, 2023

• IGX registration completed/updated by October 11, 2023. 
• Online application with all Required Documents uploaded, completed and submitted by  November 8, 2023. 

Round 2 – January 10, 2024

• IGX registration completed/updated by December 13, 2023. 
• Online application with all Required Documents uploaded, completed and submitted by January 10, 2024. 

Round 3 – April 3, 2024

• IGX registration completed/updated by March 6, 2024. 
• Online application with all Required Documents uploaded, completed and submitted by April 3, 2024. 

Amount of the Grant

Eligible N.J. employers can receive up to $200K in reimbursement matching funds for training incumbent employees to meet current and future occupational skill requirements.