New Jersey's UPSKILL grant reimburses up to 50% of training for current full-time employees, up to $250,000 per employer per round. It has one rule that matters for us: third-party trainers must be physically located in New Jersey. Our trainer is based in Massachusetts, so we check whether a course can be delivered with an eligible New Jersey partner before you apply.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development runs UPSKILL: NJ, an incumbent worker training grant for New Jersey-based employers. For fiscal year 2027 it has $7 million, split into two rounds of $3.5 million. It pays up to 50% of the cost of training current frontline employees, and the employer matches at least the other 50%. The wages you keep paying people while they train count toward that match.
The program asks you to describe a specific business problem that the training will solve. That suits AI training well: state training money lets small and mid-sized businesses train staff to automate repetitive work and compete with larger, better-funded competitors. Eligible expenses include tuition, textbooks, software and exam or credential fees. Access fees for online learning platforms are not eligible.
Here is the rule that matters. The notice says all third-party training providers must be physically located in New Jersey. They are exempt from the state's Eligible Training Provider List, but location is not optional. Our trainer is based in Massachusetts, so today our courses cannot simply be filed as delivered by us. Before you apply, we check whether a course can be delivered with an eligible New Jersey-based partner, and we tell you plainly if it cannot.
If it cannot, you can still take the course at the full price, or use UPSKILL for training that a New Jersey provider or your own staff delivers. We would rather tell you that now than after you file.
For New Jersey-based employers, employer consortiums and other listed applicants training current frontline employees. Applicants must be paying New Jersey unemployment and disability insurance taxes.
One application per round, two per fiscal year. For Round 2: letter of intent by January 8, 2027, IGX registration by January 22, full application by February 24, 2027, with panel review expected the week of March 8. Training has to be completed within 12 months of the award, and nothing spent before the training contract is signed is reimbursed.
A 40-person company sends 6 frontline staff through one course. Tuition is $18,000. If approved and delivered by an eligible New Jersey-based trainer, up to $9,000 comes back, and the wages paid during training count toward the company's 50% match.
The five courses are the same in every state: 10 instructional hours, live and instructor-led, $3,000 per trainee, two-seat minimum. Start with who will be in the room. A mixed group of managers, admins and customer-facing staff belongs in AI Enablement for Small Business Teams. If the pressure is in the back office, AI for Finance, Accounting and Payroll Teams is built for the people who close the month and run payroll.
Contractors, home services and any crew-based business should look at AI for Field Service and Trades Businesses. Law, accounting, medical, dental, architecture and advisory offices fit AI for Professional Practices. And if you have someone who lives in spreadsheets, exports and reports, Claude Code for Operations and Data Teams is the technical option, with a smaller cohort of up to 6.
UPSKILL needs at least 5 trainees per class, so plan a cohort of 5 to 8, or 5 to 6 for Claude Code. The application asks for the business problem the training solves, so pick the course that matches the problem you will describe.
A 15 minute call to confirm the four rules, choose the course, and choose the 5 or more full-time employees who would attend.
We check whether the course can be delivered with an eligible New Jersey-based partner. If it cannot, we tell you, and nothing is filed.
You file the letter of intent by January 8, 2027, register in IGX by January 22, and submit the full application by February 24, 2027. NJDOL expects panel review the week of March 8. Training starts only after the contract is signed.
Your team takes 10 hours of live, instructor-led training over 4 to 5 weeks. You request reimbursement in IGX once each training program is complete, with sign-in sheets as proof. Grantees invoice monthly by the 10th and must invoice at least 30% of the award within the first 6 months.
Trainee wages are not reimbursed, but they count toward your 50% match. Plan your AI rollout as two budgets: training through the grant, and implementation as its own project. Our free AI capability audit maps the second one.
It can. UPSKILL: NJ reimburses up to 50% of training costs for current full-time employees of New Jersey-based employers, up to $250,000 per applicant per round. The catch for our courses is that third-party trainers must be physically located in New Jersey, and our trainer is based in Massachusetts.
Up to half. A $3,000 seat can bring back up to $1,500. A class needs at least 5 trainees, so the smallest eligible class costs $15,000, with up to $7,500 back if approved.
No. The notice says all third-party training providers must be physically located in New Jersey. They do not need to be on the Eligible Training Provider List, but location is required. We check whether a course can be delivered with an eligible New Jersey partner before you apply. We are not approved in New Jersey today.
New Jersey-based employers paying state unemployment and disability insurance taxes, plus employer consortiums and some other organizations. Company size does not change the rate.
Full-time employees who have worked for you at least 6 months. Part-time, seasonal, temporary, commission-based and 1099 workers are not eligible, and neither are new hires.
No, but wages count. Trainees keep their normal pay, and those wages count toward your 50% match.
In rounds. Round 1's letter of intent deadline passed on September 23, 2026. For Round 2, file the letter of intent by January 8, 2027, register in IGX by January 22, and submit the application by February 24, 2027, all by 12:00 noon. The letter of intent is required.
NJDOL expects Round 2 panel review the week of March 8, 2027. Nothing spent before the training contract is signed can be reimbursed.
Through IGX, the state's grants system. You request reimbursement once each training program is complete, with sign-in sheets, and submit a monthly invoice by the 10th. You must invoice at least 30% of the award in the first 6 months or risk losing unspent funds.
It pays for training. Software can be an eligible expense when it is part of the training, but consulting, implementation and online platform access fees are not covered. Our free AI capability audit is where the build conversation starts.
Yes. Fiscal year 2027 has $7 million across two rounds of $3.5 million, and Round 2 is open for letters of intent. Awards are competitive and decided by panel.
Send the form. We settle the trainer question first, then help you with the Round 2 letter of intent. Application questions go to NJDOL at upskill@dol.nj.gov.