To help New Jersey’s military veterans, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced today that nearly $190,000 in funding will be provided to the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council’s (NJBCTC) Helmets to Hardhats program.

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The state grant marks the second consecutive year the administration has funded the New Jersey Helmets to Hardhats program, which enables National Guard, reserve, retired and transitioning active-duty military members to connect to quality career and training opportunities in the construction industry.

“Governor Christie and I are continuing our support of programs that ensure employment for the brave men and women who put their lives on hold and placed themselves in harm’s way to defend our nation. Helmets to Hardhats is a vital partnership between this administration and the NJBCTC that enables veterans to acquire the skills needed to secure career opportunities in the building trades,” Commissioner Hal Wirths said.

Last year, $195,000 in LWD discretionary funds was used to finance Helmets to Hardhats, which is part of a national program jointly created by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the national Building and Construction Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.

“We are grateful for the strong support Governor Christie and Commissioner Wirths have given to our Helmets to Hardhats program. With the state funding we received last year, we doubled the number of veterans we initially anticipated on placing into accredited apprenticeship programs,” said William T. Mullen, President of the NJBCTC.

The New Jersey H2H program set out last year to place 24 veterans into apprenticeship programs and succeeded in placing 47 veterans. This year, the program is again targeting 24 veterans.

A candidate interested in pursuing an apprenticeship training program through H2H should meet the following qualifications:

  • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of registration
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED; if not, the participant is referred to their county’s One-Stop Career Center for assistance in obtaining the credential
  • Possess a valid driver’s license or be able to obtain one prior to application to any trade program requiring one
  • Have access to their own transportation to get to and from job sites once they’re accepted into an apprenticeship
  • Remain drug free and submit to drug testing as required in the apprenticeship application process
  • Place at a minimum of Level 3 in “Work Keys” testing or demonstrate the ability to quickly reach this level through study and practice using the program’s test preparation services
  • Demonstrate a legitimate interest in pursuing a career in the building and construction trades

For further information about the New Jersey Helmets to Hardhats program visit http://www.njbctc.org/h2h/index.html.

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