As the number of construction projects continues to rise in Newark, the city is getting some help from the state to train new workers.

The $300,000 grant from the Department of Labor is giving 48 Newark residents an apprenticeship and a shot at job placement on one of the city’s several construction sites.

Standing on the site of what will be Teacher’s Village, Labor Commissioner Hall Wirths says while not all the trainees are guaranteed jobs, all of them will gain marketable skills.

 “We’re looking at stackable credentials and things that people take with them, so if this job ends, they still have things they’re taking with them. The whole future of the job market is going to be skills – it’s no longer job titles.”

He says the construction industry took a hit after the recession and can use all the support it can get.  

The grant will cover ten-week training sessions by the Roofers Local in West Orange and the Institute for Social Justice in Newark.