What do pharmacists have in common with heating and ventilation maintenance workers? Or with workers in human resource departments? Virtually all professions, no matter how unrelated, share one common feature — apprenticeship programs. New Jersey currently has more than 8,200 active apprentices across a wide range of programs. 

Some 542 registered apprenticeship programs have been added in the state under the Murphy administration. At the same time, the number of women enrolled in registered apprenticeship programs has more than doubled.

One such program is Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education, or PACE, which is aimed at alleviating economic barriers to apprenticeships by contributing to the costs of child care or transportation. The state Department of Labor & Workforce Development Monday announced $2 million in new funds for PACE — one way to appreciate a key, and growing, part of the labor force during this National Apprenticeship Week.