As part of its historic capital investments spanning major regional hubs—including modernization projects at Newark Liberty International, JFK, and LaGuardia airports—the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced the launch of the JFK Redevelopment Skilled Trades Entry Program.
Funded by a $1 million commitment from the Port Authority and its private terminal developer partners, the workforce initiative is designed to provide comprehensive classroom and practical construction training for 85 participants. The program aims to establish a direct pathway into unionized building and trades apprenticeships for residents of communities neighboring JFK International Airport.
The pre-apprenticeship initiative is structured to meet surging regional demand for skilled labor across major infrastructure projects. Training will be administered through specialized affiliates of the Apprenticeship Readiness Collective, including:
- The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills Inc. (CSKILLS)
- Non-Traditional Employment for Women (NEW), supporting women entering the trades
- Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A), focusing on low-income and justice-involved individuals
- Helmets 2 Hardhats (H2H), connecting military veterans directly to construction careers
Alongside the trades program, the Port Authority announced the inaugural cohort of 10 local students selected for undergraduate and graduate JFK Redevelopment Opportunity Scholarships at Vaughn College of Aeronautics & Technology and the CUNY Aviation Center at York College.
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole emphasized the broader economic scope of the agency’s capital program, noting that multi-billion-dollar transformations across regional gateways create an unprecedented obligation to cultivate local talent.
“With the ongoing transformation at JFK International, just one part of the Port Authority’s historic $45 billion capital investment in airport redevelopment projects across the region, it is critical that we invest in developing talent from our local communities to help us build the region’s future,” O’Toole said.
Executive Director Kathryn Garcia added that the initiative aligns regional infrastructure growth with community wealth-building, thanking private terminal partners and the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council for their collaboration.
The multi-agency effort builds upon similar community benefit models deployed across New Jersey and New York transit hubs, ensuring local residents share directly in the economic advantages of modern regional development.
