NEW JERSEY TUTORING CORPS CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT OF NATION'S FIRST TUTOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM TO ADDRESS EDUCATOR WORKFORCE SHORTAGES

Builds "Garden State Dream Team" of State Education Innovators to Assist Activation and Implementation of New Tutor-to-Teacher Pathway
[New Jersey – June 12, 2025] – The New Jersey Tutoring Corps (NJTC) announced today that ConnectED Workforce, New Jersey City University, and the Teacher Apprenticeship Network will provide needed expertise and support as it establishes the nation's first Tutor Apprenticeship Program (TAP).  

Last January, the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) formally approved the inclusion of "Tutor" to the list of occupations allowed to participate in the federal Registered Apprentice Pathway (RAP) and named NJTC as the first Tutor Apprenticeship Program in the nation. RAPs are designed to create larger talent pools to meet nationwide professional demands in designated fields and allow individuals to develop careers and gain family-sustaining income. With the new RAP launching in New Jersey, NJTC will build the first federally approved infrastructure in the nation that provides tutor apprentices the ability to pursue a career in education, and the launch will create a groundbreaking blueprint to assist other states as they create similar programs in the future. Specifically, NJTC’s RAP program will provide participants with the opportunity to gain college credit; on-the-job training; mentorship; additional support and assistance; and ultimately help New Jersey address current teaching shortages and meet future teaching demands.  

Currently, NJTC is accepting candidates for its first cohort.  Those interested in applying to the program or learning more may click HERE.

"In less than three years, NJTC has become the national model for tutoring.  We are proud of our results and service to New Jersey and are honored to be awarded by the USDOL the opportunity to build the first Tutoring Apprentice Program in the country," stated NJTC CEO Katherine Bassett.  "New Jersey, like the rest of the nation, needs a program to help address our teacher shortage crisis.  Just as we built NJTC three years ago, we are moving forward strategically, methodically, and with a collaborative spirit to bring excellent Tutors into the workforce.  To assist our efforts, NJTC has responded by building a ‘Garden State Dream Team’ of education innovators who will help to create this paradigm-changing initiative.  As we have often said in the past, solutions to many of the challenges in the education sector can be found right here in work being done on the ground in New Jersey - and we are proving that with the development of this important partnership.”

Specifically, in building the nation's first Tutoring Apprentice Program, NJTC hopes to leverage each partner in the following ways:

ConnectED Workforce is a New Jersey-based company focused on educator workforce solutions, including educator professional learning.  ConnectED will coach and mentor those enrolled in the NJTC's Tutor Apprentice Program with essential instructional skills—from building student relationships to designing effective lesson plans using data to drive instruction, as well as providing career coaching and advising to each apprentice.  

New Jersey City University is a public university committed to affordable, transformative education and workforce development.  NJCU will now offer those enrolled in the NJTC's Tutor Apprentice Program the ability to seamlessly earn needed post-secondary credits, at either the graduate or undergraduate levels, to become a teacher. NJCU will also provide tuition discounts to these tutor apprentices. 

Teacher Apprenticeship Network is a Department of Labor Intermediary partnering with New Jersey school districts to create strategic staffing solutions through apprenticeships.. Those who complete NJTC's Tutor Apprentice Program will be eligible to join the Teach Apprenticeship Network, which provides resources to help apprentices complete their teacher certification.

The partnership brings a transformative and successful model for tutors to blend their working experiences with an innovative teacher preparation program.

“At ConnectED Workforce, we believe that future educators thrive when supported throughout their professional journeys," stated Chelsea Collins, Co-Founder of ConnectED Workforce and 2016 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year. “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to empower tutor apprentices through individualized support and competency-based coaching. We’re proud to help them build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the classroom and grow into inspiring leaders throughout their careers.”

“We’re proud to partner with NJTC on this groundbreaking effort to formalize tutoring as a launchpad into the teaching profession,” stated Kwamé Floyd, Executive Director of Teacher Apprenticeship Network. “For recent graduates and career changers looking to enter the profession, becoming a skilled tutor is one of the best ways to learn the art of teaching.  We’re proud to partner on this initiative and look forward to supporting skilled tutors to become excellent teachers and helping New Jersey grow its own educators and meet the moment with sustainable, homegrown solutions.”

“NJCU's College of Education is excited to partner with New Jersey Tutoring Corps, LLC as we work together to certify quality, experienced teachers for our state,” stated Dr. Michelle Rosen, Chairperson and Professor at the Department of Teaching, Learning and Literacy at New Jersey City University. “The partnership brings a transformative and successful model for tutors to blend their working experiences with an innovative teacher preparation program.”

Today's announcement continues a series of developments, activities, and support provided within the Garden State since NJTC was named to create the nation's first Tutor Apprentice Program.  Most recently, in March, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) awarded NJTC with a Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) Grant, providing funds to increase the number of highly qualified tutors eligible to serve New Jersey public schools and support the creation of this new tutor-to-teacher Pathway.

Initially established by First Lady Tammy Murphy and anchor institutions such as the Overdeck Family Foundation, The Tepper Foundation, the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, the New Jersey Children's Foundation, the Prudential Foundation, The Carlson Family Foundation, and the Debra and Kenneth Caplan Foundation, NJTC serves as a needed corrective response to the state's dramatic learning gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. Launched during the 2022-23 school year, NJTC initially served approximately 500 scholars. Since then, it has become a needed focal point for advocating and expanding tutoring in New Jersey.  Over the last three budget cycles, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal have been instrumental in fighting to support NJTC and, with their assistance, have scaled to serve over 12,500 scholars in 247 locations, creating 740 jobs for residents.  The most recent independent third-party evaluation showed that NJTC scholars' grade-level performance jumped by 550% in math and 150% in literacy after just one year of NJTC tutoring. Last Fall, the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) at Stanford University announced that NJTC had received its prestigious national "Tutoring Program Design Badge," formally indicating that NJTC meets the highest tutoring standards and aligns with the national principles of all Tutoring Quality Standards.