The County College of Morris was recently awarded two grants from the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development that will help students who are enrolled in Advanced Manufacturing programs, including both Pre-Apprenticeship Boot Camps and Apprenticeship Programs.
The Randolph-based college was awarded $237,109 as part of the Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education, or PACE, grant and $299,566 as part of the Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors, or GAINS, grant, totaling over $535,000 secured in grant funding.
“Receiving both of these grants from NJDOL positively impacts our students, manufacturing partners, the college and the communities we serve,” Anthony Iacono, president of the County College of Morris, said. “We are grateful to provide students with opportunities to be educated and trained in manufacturing, develop their résumés through apprenticeship programs and be placed in jobs earning family-sustaining wages. As a community college, CCM strives to support the economy and economic mobility of our communities and provide a pipeline of employees to industries throughout Morris County.”
The PACE program will support 40 participants in CCM’s Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Boot Camp. Most of the funds will go directly toward tuition and participant stipends.
Through the PACE funding received, CCM hopes to increase the number of apprentices from underrepresented groups. Many organizations in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties help recruit participants and support those facing barriers. Following the boot camp, CCM’s Advanced Manufacturing team stays connected with those placed in Registered Apprenticeship programs, connecting them with additional support through related technical instruction.
The funding secured through the GAINS grant program will help 25 participants in CCM’s Registered Apprenticeship programs in Advanced Manufacturing. The GAINS grant program promotes expansion of U.S. Department of Labor-approved Registered Apprenticeship programs to support better-paying careers and the attainment of advanced credentials. CCM will use the GAINS grant funds to add the robotics technician apprenticeship program, maintain key personnel in established, successful RAPs and enhance already elite Related Technical Instruction, which is classroom and lab instruction that provides theoretical knowledge and technical skills.
These programs are a part of CCM’s Center for Workforce Development, which allows students to learn cutting-edge skills and boost their marketability in an ever-changing job market. It is a vital part of CCM’s mission and advanced manufacturing is a growing, in-demand sector with a proven impact on the community.
CCM developed the Advanced Manufacturing Pre-Apprenticeship Boot Camp that links directly to eight Registered Apprenticeship programs that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and are currently offered at CCM.
The RAPs are as follows:
- CNC Operating: Milling;
- CNC Operator: Turning;
- CNC Operator: Milling and Turning;
- CAD/CAM Programmer;
- Quality Assurance/Quality Control;
- Industrial Maintenance Mechanic;
- Robotics Technician (this apprenticeship will be piloted in the 2024 calendar year);
- Tool/Die Manufacturer.
The daytime boot camp takes place over seven to 10 weeks and totals 159 hours. It introduces participants to shop basics, advanced manufacturing equipment, OSHA 10, résumé development and other topics pertinent to successful job placement.
