New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) Receives $250,000 in State Funds to Support Apprenticeship Programs

CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) has received $250,000 in State funds as part of Senate Bill No. 2839 in an effort to support NJMEP's Apprenticeship Programs.

The funds will be used to support NJMEP's Technical Sales Training & Apprenticeship program and the MSSC (Manufacturing Skills Standards Council) training – national credentials in Production Technician & Logistics Technician. 

The Governor signed Senate Bill S2389 into law yesterday and stated, "I commend the sponsors of this bill for recognizing the importance of investing in the Manufacturing Extension Program, which has shown an 11:1 rate of return on such investments, in addition to creating and saving jobs across New Jersey.  The availability of matching federal funds to support entry-level training programs focusing on the underserved, veterans, under-employed, and re-entry workers in diverse areas of manufacturing makes this an even more appealing investment."  "We will continue to work closely with the Governor's office and the NJEDA and believe this State funding will make a big difference to the state's ecosystem," says John W. Kennedy, CEO, NJMEP.

"The NJMEP Team worked closely with the New Jersey Legislative Bipartisan Manufacturing Caucus, led by Senators Vin Gopal and Steve Oroho, and crafted legislation that would support all requirements. Senate Bill S2839 will provide NJMEP with $500,000 (includes matching federal funds) to be spent on expanding our Apprenticeships Programs within the critical Advanced Manufacturing / STEM /TLD Sectors with an initial focus on Trenton, Newark & Paterson.  Current plans have us expanding into our geographical regions after this large pilot effort," adds Kennedy.

NJMEP expects key educational partners to include - the CTE / Vo-Technical Schools, County Colleges, and Industrial Schools as well; with additional plans to work closely with Industry, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), The State Employment and Training Commission (SETC), Department of Education (DOE), and Higher Education to ensure that New Jersey citizens (especially Young Adults) have viable career pathways which includes the State's excellent 4-year colleges.

NJMEP lost State funding in 2008 when the financial crisis hit the country.  NJMEP had to operate at a high level and create a Scope of Work with viable metrics that would allow them (again) to show their value.  This first happened through their performance as one of the (51) NIST-MEP Centers in the nation. Their efforts led them to being ranked as the top-performing Center, and resulted in an additional $250,000 in Federal Funds in 2018, which needed to be matched with a 1:1 State Investment.

About NJMEP: NJMEP is a private, not–for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $3.8 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact.

SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc.