Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) Grant Program FY2027 Round 1
Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) Grant Program FY2027 Round 1 supports New Jersey residents with training and services to prepare for apprenticeships, related employment, or further education.
Funder: New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development
Due Dates: September 23, 2026 at 1 p.m. (TA workshop) | October 1, 2026 at 1 p.m. (TA workshop) | October 23, 2026 at noon (Letter of Intent) | October 30, 2026 at noon (Application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $3 million total; maximum $12,000 per participant; anticipated 18-month contracts
Summary: PACE funds pre-apprenticeship training and support services connecting New Jersey residents to Registered Apprenticeship, employment, or related post-secondary education.
Key Information: Organizations awarded FY2026 Round 2 PACE funding are ineligible for this round.
Description
The competitive PACE program is administered by NJDOL’s Office of Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning. It supports industry-based training, classroom instruction, workforce readiness, and job shadowing that prepare participants to enter and succeed in Registered Apprenticeship programs. Programs must connect training to apprenticeship, related employment, or post-secondary education, helping participants gain advanced credentials and economically sustainable wages.
PACE emphasizes career pathways for people disconnected from employment, training, and education, including underrepresented, disadvantaged, and low-skilled populations. It encourages training in high-growth, high-vacancy, and emerging regional industries. Funding can support program development, instruction, materials, participant stipends, and services that remove barriers to participation, including childcare, transportation, mentoring, academic remediation, and high school equivalency or GED attainment.
