Requires certain school districts to partner with union apprenticeship programs for development of career exploration program.

S4008

SENATE, No. 4008

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� BENJIE E. WIMBERLY

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain school districts to partner with
union apprenticeship programs for development of career exploration program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning the
exploration of careers in the public schools and supplementing chapter 54 of
Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.�

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1. �As used in this act,
�board of education� means the board of education of a school district with a
high school, the board of trustees of a charter school enrolling students in
grades 9 through 12, or the board of trustees of a renaissance school project enrolling
students in grades 9 through 12.

���� 2. �a.� Each board of
education shall enter into a partnership with one or more apprenticeship
programs offered by a labor union in the county.� The purpose of the
partnership shall be to improve student exposure to local apprenticeship
opportunities.�

���� b.� The partnership
established pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall develop:

���� (1)� general information on
the career pathways available through the partnering apprenticeship program or
programs to be distributed to all students enrolled in grades 11 and 12; and

���� (2) a career exploration
program designed to raise student awareness of the opportunities available
through the partnering apprenticeship program or programs.�

���� c. �The career exploration
program developed pursuant to paragraph (2) subsection b. of this section shall
include a minimum of 25 hours of programming that includes:

���� (1) �a structured orientation
session that introduces students to the apprenticeship program or programs,
their career pathways and ladders, and a review of salary potential and job
security in the industry; and

���� (2) practical experiences
designed to develop fundamental trade skills, which may include hands-on skill
building, simulator-based training, or interactive classroom lessons.

���� d. Each board of education
shall ensure that no less than two percent of students enrolled in its
graduating 12th grade class complete the career exploration program developed
pursuant to paragraph (2) subsection b. of this section.�

���� e.� Each board of education
shall submit an annual compliance report to the Commissioner of Education.� The
compliance report shall document the board�s efforts to meet the requirements
of this act and include an assessment of the program�s participation data and
impact.�

���� 3. �a. �The costs related to
the implementation of this act may be borne through State aid, federal and
other grants, workforce development funding, and private sponsorships.

���� b. �The Commissioner of
Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce
Development, shall request annually, as part of the annual budget proposal, an
amount as may be necessary to fund the costs related to the implementation of
this act.� The departments and boards of education shall, as applicable, pursue
any available federal, State, local, and private funding.

���� 4.� The Commissioner of
Education shall annually report to the Governor, and to the Legislature
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the implementation
of the program.�

���� 5. �This act shall take effect
immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the
date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires each board
of education to enter into a partnership with one or more apprenticeship
programs in the county offered by labor unions.� The purpose of the program is
to improve student exposure to local apprenticeship opportunities.� As used in
this bill, �board of education� means the board of education of a school
district with a high school, the board of trustees of a charter school
enrolling students in grades 9 through 12, or the board of trustees of a
renaissance school project enrolling students in grades 9 through 12.

���� Under the bill, the
partnership is to develop:

�

general information on the career pathways available through the
partnering apprenticeship program or programs to be distributed to all students
enrolled in grades 11 and 12; and

�

a career exploration program designed to raise student awareness
of the opportunities available through the partnering apprenticeship program or
programs.�

���� The bill requires that the
career exploration program is to provide a minimum of 25 hours of programming
that includes:

�

a structured orientation session; and

�

�practical experiences designed to develop fundamental trade
skills, which may include hands-on skill building, simulator-based training, or
interactive classroom lessons.

���� The bill requires each board
of education to ensure that no less than two percent of students enrolled in
its graduating 12th grade class complete the career exploration program.���

���� Additionally, the bill
requires each board of education to submit an annual compliance report to the
Commissioner of Education.

���� The bill provides that the
costs related to the implementation of the bill are to be borne through State
aid, grants, workforce development funding, or private sponsorships.

���� Finally, the bill directs the
Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and
Workforce Development, to request annually, as part of the annual budget
proposal, an amount as may be necessary to fund the costs related to the bill�s
implementation.