In 2024, The Aubrey Group entered into a contract with MASCEC to develop a fundable program and prepare an application for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Green Workforce Challenge grant. The Aubrey Group worked with partners Stand Up For Salem, Salem County Community College, Salem County Vo-Tech Schools, and Salem County Board of Social Services to develop a budget, narrative, and all required documents for the application. 

The proposed project, in a county with a high population of lower income and historically overburdened communities, involved classroom-based training programs in OSHA 10 certification, Forklift certification, and Solar Installation certification, community college scholarships for courses relevant to the Offshore Wind Industry, courses in welding and mechatronics for Vo-Tech students, and wraparound services including assistance with Medicaid, NJ Family Care, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), General Assistance (GA), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Emergency Assistance, and child support as well as soft-skills training and resume building. The ultimate goal was to get each participant successfully placed in a high-paying green energy job, thereby fulfilling the EDA’s program goals of developing New Jersey’s skilled workforce and green energy capacity.

Over the course of four weeks, The Aubrey Group regularly met with the MASCEC team to develop the program and worked with a group of more than fifteen stakeholders and partners. The Aubrey Group was responsible for managing the partners and maintaining the core goals set forth by MASCEC. The program went through many iterations, and the application was submitted in October 2024. 

While the application was ultimately unsuccessful due to the competitiveness of the program, our goal of developing a fundable green energy workforce program was successful. MASCEC now has a library of narrative information describing their team’s strategic vision for generalized and green energy training programs, its network of industry partners and employers, capacity to support participants with job placements at program completion, ability to anticipate and provide wraparound supports, develop a budget, successfully implement grants and similar programs, learn and apply lessons, serve diverse populations, and anticipate challenges and milestones.

About the Client: South Jersey-based Mid-Atlantic States Career & Education Center’s (MASCEC) focuses on building effective community partnerships, improving the health and well-being of the individuals and families they serve, providing career and job skill development for disadvantaged and disabled workers, and creating a sustainable, stable community.