Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with a new group of interns Thursday.

The program provides a path to high-demand careers in science.

Officials also announced a new round of grant funding to create even more programs.

"Apprenticeships are most likely to lead our jobs. They're more productive employees. It builds a pipeline of skilled workers. It creates a built-in model for succession planning, and importantly, it opens the door to federal and state funding and resources," said New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo.

Since 2018, New Jersey has registered 545 new apprenticeship programs.