TRENTON, N.J. (May 18, 2021) – The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved the creation of the NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge during its May 12, 2021 Board meeting. Supported by funding from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) and aligned with Governor Phil Murphy’s WIND Council recommendations, the NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge is a competitive grant program that will award a grant of up to $1 million to a New Jersey community college that collaborates with union trade organizations and industry partners to establish an offshore wind turbine technician training program. The training program must result in an industry-recognized, credit-bearing certificate program that is part of a pathway to an Associate degree or higher.

This grant program is part of the Murphy administration’s whole of government approach to achieving the Governor’s goal of generating 7.5 GW of offshore wind by 2035 and positioning New Jersey as a hub for the American offshore wind industry. Other initiatives include the construction of the New Jersey Wind Port, a state-of-the-art monopile manufacturing facility at the Port of Paulsboro, and the Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge, a $3 million grant program to establish an industry-recognized Global Wind Organization safety training program and facility in New Jersey. Taken together, these efforts will ensure New Jersey has the infrastructure, supply chain, and workforce needed to support offshore wind projects up and down the East Coast.

“Offshore wind is a once-in-a-generation economic opportunity that will bring billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to New Jersey,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “It is crucial that we take steps now to prepare to meet the industry’s workforce needs and to ensure equitable access to these opportunities for all New Jerseyans. The Wind Turbine Technician Training Challenge leverages our top-notch community colleges and robust network of labor unions and trades training programs to achieve both of these goals in a way that meets the industry’s needs.”

“As New Jersey transitions to 100 percent clean energy through initiatives like offshore wind, it is imperative that we cultivate a workforce prepared to meet the emerging opportunities building and operating clean energy infrastructure offers,” said Joseph Fiordaliso, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. “This grant opportunity demonstrates the State’s commitment to ensuring that the workforce of tomorrow has a place in our innovation economy and is grown right here in one of New Jersey’s community colleges.”

“A critical step toward ensuring the state’s future success in offshore wind is strengthening our investment in workforce training and education today,” said Department of Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.  “Offshore wind will create thousands of good-paying, permanent jobs. The state’s community colleges are well-positioned to equip our workforce with the skills and knowledge they need to fill these family sustaining positions.”

“Through this challenge, we are helping to ensure that New Jersey’s talent pipeline remains strong and our economic rebound prioritizes workforce opportunities for students to hone their skills and obtain necessary credentials,” said NJ Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian Bridges. “The program created as a result of this challenge will fuel a diverse and inclusive pipeline of talented workers and propel the state’s rapidly-growing clean energy sector to the forefront of the global stage.”

Offshore wind is a rapidly expanding international industry that Governor Murphy has prioritized as a target sector for driving long-term, sustainable economic growth. To ensure equitable access to the economic opportunities offshore wind creates, Governor Murphy established the WIND Council in 2019 to engage industry and local stakeholder groups to evaluate New Jersey’s existing workforce development assets and identify gaps that must be addressed to strengthen the state’s leadership position in offshore wind. On April 22, 2020, the WIND Council released a report summarizing its recommendations. Both the WIND Council report and the NJBPU’s New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan noted that there are currently no offshore wind turbine technician training programs in New Jersey and stressed the need to establish a program as soon as possible.

The NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge will address this gap in New Jersey’s offshore wind ecosystem by providing an up to $1 million grant to a New Jersey community college to collaborate with labor organizations and industry stakeholders to design and implement a curriculum that meets industry standards for wind turbine technician training. The NJEDA chose to focus on community colleges because these institutions are uniquely positioned to provide a holistic program with a stackable credential such as an Associate Degree, serve a diverse population, offer a wide range of support services, and engage industry and labor partners as needed. Working with community colleges also increases accessibility to the programs created using Challenge funding by creating the opportunity for participating students to benefit from Governor Murphy’s free community college program.

Applicants for the NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge must submit a plan to develop and operate an industry-recognized offshore wind turbine technician training program that includes a credit-bearing certificate that is part of a pathway to an Associate degree or higher; incorporates collaborations with with labor unions and industry stakeholders; targets and supports a diverse and inclusive pool of training participants; and creates clear and inclusive career pathways for students to enter and grow in the offshore wind industry. Applicants must plan to launch the program described in the application by the first quarter of 2023.

Recognizing the importance of collaborating with labor unions and industry when establishing a turbine technician training program, the NJEDA has required community colleges that apply for the grant to include plans to collaborate with labor union groups and representatives of potential employers to ensure the curriculum is aligned with industry needs. Community colleges will also be encouraged to submit applications that include collaborations with other entities as needed to meet program goals.

Over the coming months, the NJEDA, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and Department of Labor will jointly administer and evaluate applications for the Offshore Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge as part of the ongoing cross-agency collaboration to engage diverse stakeholders and build a strong offshore wind industry in New Jersey with equitable access to opportunity for all New Jerseyans.

The NJEDA will be hosting an informational webinar on the NJ Wind Turbine Tech Training Challenge on June 2, 2021. More information and a link to register for the webinar are available at https://www.njeda.gov/wind-turbine-training/.

About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.

To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses call NJEDA Customer Care at 609-858-6767 or visit https://www.njeda.gov and follow @NewJerseyEDA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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TRENTON, N.J. (February 4, 2021) – The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) today announced the launch of the New Jersey Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge, a new $3 million program launched with funding from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) that will help establish an industry-recognized Global Wind Organization safety training program and facility to prepare New Jersey workers for jobs in the State’s growing offshore wind industry.

Offshore wind is a rapidly expanding international industry that Governor Phil Murphy has prioritized as a target sector for driving long-term, sustainable economic growth. The NJEDA has spearheaded initiatives to grow the industry in New Jersey, including the New Jersey Wind Port, a first-of-its-kind offshore wind manufacturing and marshalling facility located in Salem County, and a state-of-the-art monopile manufacturing facility located at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal.

“Offshore wind is a priority sector for Governor Murphy and the NJEDA that has unparalleled potential to drive long-term, sustainable economic growth. In addition, because the industry is so new, we have a unique chance to ensure equitable access to the economic opportunities it creates,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “Establishing a Global Wind Organization safety training program and facility in New Jersey will make jobs in offshore wind more accessible to New Jersey residents and will help to establish the state as a hub of the growing American offshore wind industry. The NJEDA is proud to partner with NJBPU and OSHE to launch the Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge as the first step toward achieving this important goal.”

“Providing equitable access to innovative opportunities is vital to building a stronger, fairer New Jersey economy that works for all residents. Collaboration between the employer community and the higher education sector is essential to further strengthening the workforce and economy that the state needs to sustain a robust pipeline of highly-skilled workers and assure that the postsecondary-to-employment ecosystem is well-positioned for the future,” said Acting Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian Bridges. “We are excited to work with the NJEDA to establish the Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge to build on opportunities for residents to gain access to the critical training, education and skills required to compete for in-demand jobs.”

“Training and certifying New Jersey workers for jobs in offshore wind is a critical aspect of growing this important new industry in New Jersey, and will ensure in-state candidates can benefit from its many exciting, once-in-a-generation opportunities,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso. “Marking one year since the release of Governor Murphy’s ambitious Energy Master Plan, the launch of this Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge will directly strengthen New Jersey’s offshore wind workforce development.”

Governor Murphy’s economic development plan identifies offshore wind as a strategic sector for accelerating economic growth and the NJEDA is currently leading development of the New Jersey Wind Port, a first-in-the-nation, purpose-built port for the offshore wind industry that has the potential to create up to 1,500 jobs and drive economic growth throughout the state. To ensure equitable access to the economic opportunities this project and other offshore wind initiatives create, Governor Murphy established the WIND Council in 2019 to engage industry and local stakeholder groups to evaluate New Jersey’s existing workforce development assets and identify gaps that must be addressed to strengthen the state’s leadership position in offshore wind. On April 22, 2020, the WIND Council released a report summarizing its recommendations.

One of the key workforce development needs the WIND Council identified is the creation of opportunities for workers to receive Global Wind Organization (GWO) Basic Safety and Sea Survival Training. The GWO is a non-profit body founded by leading wind turbine manufacturers and operators that aims to support an injury-free environment in the wind industry. It has set the industry-recognized standard for safety training and many manufacturers and owners of wind turbines require workers to obtain certifications by completing these trainings. To achieve New Jersey’s target of generating 7,500 MW by 2035, at least 1,825 workers will need to complete GWO Basic Safety and Sea Survival Training between 2023 and 2036.

The Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge announced today will provide New Jersey-based academic institutions and training providers, including labor unions, an opportunity to submit proposals for establishing a GWO accredited Basic Safety and Sea Survival Training program and facility in the state. The winning applicant will receive a grant of up to $3 million to support implementation of the program and construction of the facility. Funding for the grant comes from the NJBPU’s New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program™ (NJCEP).

Applications for the Challenge will open on March 15th, 2021. Applicants will submit detailed proposals describing their planned programs. These proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation committee comprised of OSHE and NJEDA staff. The highest-scoring proposal will receive a grant of up to $3 million, based on project costs outlined in the application. OSHE and the NJEDA anticipate announcing the winner during summer 2021.

More information about the Offshore Wind Safety Training Challenge is available at www.njeda.gov/windsafetytrainingchallenge. The NJEDA and OSHE will also be hosting a webinar for potential applicants the week of February 22, 2021. More information on the webinar will be available soon.

About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.

To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses call NJEDA Customer Care at 609-858-6767 or visit https://www.njeda.gov and follow @NewJerseyEDA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Project Diversity Goals Require Good-Faith Effort to Award 15 Percent of Contract Value to Women-, Minority-, or Veteran-Owned Subcontractors  

TRENTON, N.J. (November 30, 2020) – The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) today took a major step toward development of the New Jersey Wind Port, a first-of-its-kind offshore wind manufacturing and marshalling facility located in Lower Alloways Creek, by issuing a Request of Qualifications (RFQ) for Construction Management Services related to the project. In line with the NJEDA’s commitment to utilizing local union labor and setting a new standard for diversity and inclusion, the project will be subject to a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and the RFQ includes a goal of awarding 15 percent of the total contract value to subcontractors, equipment lessors, and/or material suppliers that are minority-, women-, or veteran-owned.
 
The RFQ is available on the NJEDA website at NJEDA – Bidding Opportunities – Real Estate Procurement Opportunities. Responses are due by 1:00 p.m. on January 5, 2021. 
 
“Offshore wind is a rapidly growing industry, and a wave of major projects is already planned along the East Coast. By providing purpose-built infrastructure that supports the industry’s unique needs, the New Jersey Wind Port will attract millions of dollars in investment and create thousands of good jobs for New Jersey residents,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The RFQ issued today is an important step that moves us closer to realizing the economic and environmental benefits that an expanded offshore wind industry will bring to New Jersey, and the PLA and diversity benchmarks will ensure these benefits are available equitably to local workers and women- and minority-owned businesses.”
 
The New Jersey Wind Port is a first-in-the-nation infrastructure investment that will provide a location for essential staging, assembly, and manufacturing activities related to offshore wind projects on the East Coast. The Wind Port has the potential to create up to 1,500 manufacturing, assembly, and operations jobs, as well as hundreds of construction jobs in New Jersey. Manufacturing and marshalling projects supported by the Wind Port will drive economic growth in Salem County, in South Jersey, and throughout the state.
 
Construction of the New Jersey Wind Port is planned in two phases, beginning in 2021. Phase 1 will comprise the development of an approximately 30-acre site to accommodate marshalling activities and an approximately 35-acre Tier 1 component manufacturing site. Phase 2 adds a further 150 acres or more to accommodate expanded marshalling activities and extensive manufacturing facilities for turbine components like blades and nacelles.
 
The RFQ released today seeks to identify a Construction Manager at Risk (CM) for the New Jersey Wind Port project. The selected CM will perform both Pre-Construction and Construction services to execute on the NJEDA’s proposed design. The project will be subject to a Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which will help to ensure local union workers have the opportunity to work on the project and that it is completed on schedule. In line with the Authority’s goal to use the project to set a new standard for diversity and inclusion, the selected CM will be required to make a good-faith effort to ensure at least 15 percent of the contract value is subcontracted to women-, minority-, or veteran-owned businesses.
 
Progress toward these diversity and inclusion goals as well as the continued engagement of local South Jersey businesses and women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses will be informed by a New Jersey Wind Port Diversity and Local Engagement Advisory Committee. Created to increase opportunities for historically marginalized populations and local community members to participate in the New Jersey Wind Port project, the Diversity and Local Engagement Advisory Committee will provide input and thought leadership on the project and overall development of New Jersey’s offshore wind industry. The Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting before the end of 2020.
 
“Providing equitable access to the opportunities the New Jersey Wind Port creates is central to achieving the NJEDA’s goal of making this project a new standard for diversity and supporting Governor Murphy’s vision for a stronger, fairer New Jersey,” said NJEDA Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Michelle Bodden. “In the past, women- and minority-owned businesses, as well as other historically marginalized groups, have been left out of projects of this scope. Taking a proactive approach that prioritizes including diverse businesses during the construction phase is a first step in reversing this trend and ensuring that the Wind Port’s economic benefits are distributed fairly.”
 
More information and the full RFQ is available at NJEDA – Bidding Opportunities – Real Estate Procurement Opportunities. Questions regarding the RFQ must be submitted by email to QARED@njeda.com by 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Questions and answers will be posted on the NJEDA’s website.
 
More information about the New Jersey Wind Port is available at https://nj.gov/windport.
 
 
About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.
 
To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses call NJEDA Customer Care at 609-858-6767 or visit https://www.njeda.gov and follow @NewJerseyEDA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
 

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TRENTON, N.J. (September 9, 2020) – The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today approved two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) that will make nearly $6 million available to support offshore wind and other clean energy projects in the State. Under the agreements, New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program™ (NJCEP), which is administered by NJBPU, will provide $4.5 million to support NJEDA-led workforce development projects aimed at preparing more New Jersey workers for jobs in offshore wind, and $1.25 million to support early-stage, New Jersey-based cleantech companies.
 
“Ever since Governor Murphy took office, we have been moving at a whirlwind pace on offshore wind, and especially with the twin crises of COVID-19’s economic devastation and climate change, we are not slowing down any time soon. Fueling our clean energy renaissance will be renewables like offshore wind, and since these industries don’t build themselves, we couldn’t be prouder to be developing a homegrown, inclusive, world-class workforce of cleantech and offshore wind technicians right here in the Garden State. New Jersey has the wind, and the time to get in on our new innovation economy – located in the strong winds right off our 130-mile coastline – is now,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso.
 
 “Clean energy is the future and positioning New Jersey to lead the way in offshore wind and other clean energy initiatives is crucial not only to growing our state’s economy, but also to creating good jobs and business opportunities for workers and business owners in New Jersey,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The NJEDA’s partnership with the NJBPU will prepare New Jersey students and workers for clean energy jobs coming to our state and help innovative New Jersey companies lead in the clean energy and cleantech space. These are important steps that will support workers and companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and pave the way for a strong, sustainable recovery.”  
 
Both Governor Phil Murphy’s ambitious New Jersey Energy Master Plan released earlier this year and his visionary Stronger and Fairer Economic Plan identify offshore wind and clean energy as target sectors that have strong potential to drive long-term, sustainable economic growth in New Jersey. In line with these plans, New Jersey has committed to producing 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035 and a wave of offshore wind projects is slated for development along the East Coast, with the first project – Ørsted’s Ocean Wind –  coming online in 2024.
 
Earlier this year, the Governor’s WIND Council released a report outlining recommendations for the creation of the WIND Institute to coordinate workforce and innovation efforts to position New Jersey as a leader in offshore wind and to ensure equitable access to opportunities in this new and expanding industry for minorities and women. With the MOUs approved today, the NJEDA and NJBPU will jumpstart progress toward implementing these recommendations with a total of $5.75 million in funding.
 
The first MOU provides $4.5 million to support offshore wind workforce development projects. Examples of these programs include: a competition to develop the first Global Wind Organization (GWO) safety training program in the Mid-Atlantic region; best-in-class wind turbine technician training programs; a plan to establish pathways for New Jersey students and workers to enter the offshore wind industry; and seminars about offshore wind job creation for labor unions, high schools, vocational technical schools, colleges, and universities so that students, energy workers, and job seekers can train to work in the industry.
 
In the second MOU, NJBPU will provide $1.25 million to fund programs supporting innovative, early-stage cleantech companies in New Jersey. The NJEDA plans to use this funding in partnership with the New Jersey Commission on Science Innovation and Technology (NJCSIT) to develop a seed grant program that will aid local cleantech businesses during critical proof of concept and prototyping stages. The NJEDA also intends to execute a research and development asset mapping and voucher initiative to increase equitable access to and utilization of the State’s existing cleantech innovation programs and initiatives.
 
The funding will be utilized immediately, with the aim of establishing operational programs by mid-2021.
  
 
About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness. To learn more about NJEDA resources for businesses call NJEDA Customer Care at 609-858-6767 or visit https://www.njeda.gov and follow @NewJerseyEDA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
 
 
About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
 
NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu, and follow NJBPU on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
 
About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)
 
NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com. You can follow NJCEP on Facebook and Twitter.
 
 

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