The funds will be used to train about 40 women and minority residents, who will receive apprenticeships in the building and construction trades, according to a news release from acting Gov. Kim Guadagno's office.

To drive home the theme of job placement, officials announced the grant at the downtown site of Teachers Village, one of the Brick City's most high-profile redevelopment projects.

The $150 million mixed-use development, led by the firm RBH Group, broke ground in February after weathering the economic downturn. When complete, Teachers Village is expected to bring three charter schools, more than 200 apartments for teachers and 70,000 square feet of retail space to a four-block stretch of Halsey Street. "These construction projects will require trained workers, and the need for them in Newark is greater than ever," Newark Mayor Cory Booker said in a prepared statement.

He cited the cooperation with the governor's office, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and labor unions that helped bring the grants to the city. The training funds come from the New Jersey Builders Utilization Initiative for Labor Diversity, or NJBUILD, which is earmarked for employment programs for women and minorities. The grants, released through the state labor department, will cover training provided by the Roofers Local #4 Apprentice Program, in West Orange, and the Institute for Social Justice based in Newark.