Rowan University’s College of Education has been awarded a $900,365 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor to pioneer a new era of teacher training in South Jersey. The funding, provided through the Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) initiative, will create 76 “earn-while-you-learn” positions designed to tackle the regional educator shortage.
This landmark award represents the college’s first grant from the Department of Labor, marking a strategic shift toward work-based learning models in the academic sector.
The initiative, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Cori Brown, aims to democratize the path to teacher certification. Under the newly funded model, each apprentice receives approximately $12,000 in financial support, effectively removing the “student teaching” hurdle that often prevents talented candidates from completing their degrees due to unpaid clinical requirements.
Key benefits of the apprenticeship model:
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Earn While You Learn: Apprentices receive a salary from partner school districts while completing their academic requirements.
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Structured Mentorship: Aspiring teachers are paired with experienced educators for hands-on, daily classroom preparation.
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Reduced Certification Costs: Grant funds help offset the costs of academic support and clinical preparation.
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Regional Pipeline: The program focuses specifically on the South Jersey workforce, ensuring local districts have a reliable stream of well-prepared staff.
The grant follows a statewide push to expand apprenticeship programs beyond traditional trades like construction and manufacturing. By applying this model to education, Rowan University and its partner districts are creating a more inclusive and sustainable pipeline for the workforce.
“Through this collaborative effort, the College of Education continues to strengthen the regional educator workforce, deepen local partnerships, and support the long-term success of South Jersey schools and students,” Dean Gaëtane Jean-Marie, a co-principal investigator on the project said.
The initiative is supported by a high-level team of researchers and administrators, including Drs. Joanne Connor, Gaëtane Jean-Marie, and Stacey Leftwich, who will oversee the implementation across a network of South Jersey school districts.
As the 76 apprenticeship pathways are activated, partner districts will begin seeing the immediate benefits of having motivated, aspiring teachers integrated into their classrooms. For Rowan University, this grant solidifies its role as a leader in workforce innovation, proving that the apprenticeship model is a powerful tool for professionalizing and diversifying the next generation of New Jersey’s educators.
