NJEDA Announces Film & Digital Media Workforce Development Initiatives

On Mar 14, 2025

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board approved the creation of the New Jersey Film Works Grant Program and entered into Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Montclair State University and Brookdale Community College to expand film and digital media workforce development initiatives. The new program and partnerships will prepare New Jersey residents for careers in the film and entertainment industry, fostering and diversifying the state’s talent pipeline in the sector and bolstering different approaches to support the state’s film industry.

The $3 million New Jersey Film Works Grant Program will award grants of up to $750,000 to entities that provide New Jersey residents with access to workforce development training, internship, apprenticeship, and learning opportunities in film and digital media. The competitive program includes a focus on providing training and career opportunities for residents of “Overburdened Communities.”

The program is expected to award grants to about six eligible applicants, which can include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and community-based organizations, educational institutions, and labor unions. A Notice of Funding Availability will be available for interested parties in Spring 2025.

In addition to the new program, the NJEDA Board entered into an MOU with Brookdale Community College to provide $1 million to the New Jersey Film Academy initiative. The partnership with Brookdale will provide students, adult learners, diverse underserved populations, and incumbent workers with education and career pathways to pursue careers in film and increase employers’ access to a skilled workforce. The curriculum is standardized and will be replicated in New Jersey’s community college system, expanding the reach of the program to other institutions. The MOU also dedicates $100,000 in funding to support tuition assistance and student scholarships for participation in the program.

“This partnership with the NJEDA is a game-changer for students and professionals looking to break into the film industry,” said Dr. David Stout, President of Brookdale Community College. “By providing high-quality, accessible education and career pathways, we are not only empowering our students but also strengthening New Jersey’s growing film sector with a skilled and diverse workforce.”

Additionally, the NJEDA Board entered into an MOU with Montclair State University to fund construction of the Making Innovations for X (MIX) Lab, which is a centerpiece of the university’s state-of-the-art Dreamscape Learn facility and curriculum. The lab, which will include a 26-seat immersive classroom and virtual reality pod, enables cutting-edge virtual reality and motion capture educational experiences to powerfully engage students in 21st-century learning.

The MIX Lab is expected to open in July 2026.
“We proposed creating the Dreamscape Learn Virtual Reality Lab at Montclair State University to host a space where students can learn and create without limitation. In partnership with Dreamscape Learn, Montclair will develop a cutting edge virtual reality curriculum that offers students an immersive learning opportunity beyond what traditional classroom settings or labs can provide,” said Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell. “Montclair thanks Governor Murphy and the NJEDA for empowering us to prepare the next generation of creators that will support New Jersey’s growing film, television and media industry.”

Since the revival and enhancement of the NJEDA’s Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program, the state has attracted hundreds of feature films, television shows, and digital media projects. The surge in production has been accompanied by new construction on state-of-the-art studios, including Netflix in Monmouth County and 1888 Studios in Bayonne, hastening the need for skilled industry professionals in the film and digital media industry.

“As major studios and networks continue to choose the Garden State due to its incredible locations and nation-leading incentives, New Jersey residents must be prepared to take on the jobs created by the industry,” said New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission Vice President Jon Crowley. “Through the NJ Film Works Program and our partnerships with higher education and other stakeholders, the state will deliver unique and best-in-practice job training programs not seen anywhere else in the U.S. This will position New Jerseyans to better reap the economic opportunities that are already heading to the Garden State.”

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