NJ: NJEDA Board Awards Funding to Expand Workforce Development in Engineering

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board recently approved a grant award of more than $1.2 million to the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825 for the construction of a new training facility in Dayton. The funding, awarded under the Apprenticeship Training Centers Construction Grant Program, will allow IUOE Local 825 to increase its apprentice intake, provide comprehensive skill development to New Jerseyans, and ensure apprentices are equipped to meet the demands of modern construction projects, bolstering workforce development opportunities in a crucial industry.

“Under Governor Phil Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey has invested in innovative apprenticeship and workforce development programs to prepare residents for high-quality job opportunities in the state’s key industries,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “With new construction and development occurring across the Garden State, the expansion of Local 825’s training facilities will ensure New Jerseyans have the skills necessary to capitalize on these new economic opportunities.”

IUOE Local 825, based in Springfield, has more than 8,200 members across the Garden State and New York’s Hudson Valley. Its workers operate heavy equipment such as cranes, bulldozers, front-end loaders, backhoes, and graders for construction projects across the region. To prepare members for modern development projects, Local 825 is committed to expanding training opportunities in new technologies and processes to preserve mastery of heavy equipment.

The new construction project at IUOE Local 825’s training facility will replace existing trailer structures on-site and supplement the currently insufficient office and classroom space. The grant award will cover 70 percent of eligible project costs, with IUOE Local 825 covering the remainder.

“Thank you to Governor Phil Murphy, NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan, and the NJEDA Board for recognizing the technology-driven evolution of operating engineering and the strong demand reflected in Local 825’s annual apprentice applications,” said IUOE Local 825 Business Manager Greg Lalevee. “Their commitment to training New Jerseyans will enable us to expand our facilities in line with these realities and deliver cutting‑edge instruction to more apprentices.”

The grant program is supported by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s (NJDOL) Workforce Development Partnership Fund. In February 2024, the NJEDA Board approved an MOU with the NJDOL that permits disbursement from the fund for the NJEDA to create and sustain workforce development programs and projects. Since 2018, New Jersey has invested more than $100 million in grant funding to support registered apprenticeship programs and has experienced a 157 percent increase in earn-while-you-learn opportunities.

“We are incredibly proud to see workforce development funds fueling opportunities that expand New Jersey’s record-setting achievements in apprenticeship over the past eight years,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. "The construction of this new training center is a powerful example of how strategic investment in our workers strengthens our economy, opens doors to good careers, and helps our state continue to lead the nation.”