Apprenticeship-to-Degree partnership

Key advantages and benefits

• College credit for apprenticeship training

  Hudson County Community College (HCCC) and BAC/ADC of NJ have finalized an articulation agreement that will award college credit toward an Associate degree in Construction Management for qualified apprenticeship training and related technical instruction, recognizing the rigor of BAC training as true college-level learning. This will be effective for the Fall 2026 semester.

• Clear path from apprenticeship to bachelor’s degree

  The pathway is designed so apprentices can move from apprenticeship, into an HCCC Associate degree, and then into an NJIT bachelor’s program in Applied Engineering Technology or Construction Management, following a clearly mapped curriculum that protects transferability of credits and starting in the Fall of 2026 semester, up to 53/60 credits may be transferable. For those who are completing or have completed an Associate’s degree at another community college, transfer and award of credits for the Associate’s degree work will have to be reviewed at the time of application to NJIT.

• Earn-and-learn flexibility

  Apprentices and members can continue working in the field while progressing toward their degree, aligning classroom learning with real-world jobsite experience.

• Lower cost and less time to completion

  By granting college credit for apprenticeship learning and starting at a community college tuition level, students reduce the number of credits they must pay for at the four-year level, lowering overall cost and speeding time to graduation.

• Stronger long-term career prospects

  Combining a union apprenticeship, an Associate degree from HCCC, and a Bachelor’s degree from NJIT positions members for supervisory, project management, estimating, and leadership roles across the construction and infrastructure sectors.

How the pathway works

1. Enroll at HCCC

Current BAC/ADC of NJ apprentices and members who want to use the new pathway may begin by applying and enrolling at Hudson County Community College as either:

• A “First Time College Student” (if they have never attended college before), or
• A “Transfer Student” (if they have prior college credits).

Applicants complete HCCC’s online application through the Admissions site and follow the standard enrollment steps (submitting required documents such as proof of high school completion and any previous college transcripts).

2. Receive HCCC credit for apprenticeship

Once enrolled at HCCC, BAC/ADC of NJ apprentices will be able to receive academic credit toward an associate degree based on their apprenticeship experience and related technical instruction, under a dedicated articulation agreement between HCCC and the Bricklayers.

This new agreement is modeled on an existing HCCC–Bricklayers articulation but customized for this partnership, since the current agreement applies only to two specific certificate programs.

3. Follow the HCCC Construction Management curriculum (BAC option)

Apprentices and members will complete the courses required for an Associate degree in Construction Management at HCCC, including a BAC-specific option once it is fully approved. When approved, the course catalogue information will be made available on this website. This does not preclude one from applying now as this is anticipated to be applicable for the Fall 2026 semester.

• HCCC will publish the Construction Management curriculum, including the BAC option, on its website for the Fall 2026 semester.
• A suggested semester-by-semester curriculum map will show exactly which courses to take and in what order to stay on track for both graduation and transfer to NJIT. Current examples of how HCCC displays degree options and curriculum maps can be seen in existing Construction Management and related program pages in the catalog. After Trustee approvals, the BAC option within HCCC’s Construction Management program will be available starting in the Fall of 2026 semester.

4. Plan early for transfer to NJIT

To take full advantage of the NJIT partnership, students should work with HCCC advisors now to ensure they are enrolling in courses that have been confirmed as transferable to NJIT’s Bachelor of Science programs in Applied Engineering Technology or Construction Management.

The BAC-to-NJIT transfer pathway and recommended course sequence will be posted online at NJIT and HCCC so that students can plan their full 2-plus-2 route from HCCC to NJIT.

Joseph P. DiRenzo Memorial Scholarship (Rienzo Scholarship) opportunity

In addition to the new degree pathway, eligible BAC/ADC of NJ members and their families can compete for the 21st Annual Joseph P. DiRenzo Memorial Scholarship, which provides financial support for college study and will be available to apply every year in June. Please refer to the website for the most up to date scholarship application as it changes each year (see scholarship website link below).

Who is eligible

To apply for the 2026 Joseph P. DiRenzo Memorial Scholarship, (new application each year) an applicant must:

• Be:
  • A BAC/ADC of NJ member in good standing with at least 3,000 hours worked in the previous three years.
• Be an entering college freshman or a current college student registered for the Fall semester at an accredited college or university.
• Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
• Show proof of registration for the Fall 2026 semester.
• Submit all required application forms and a copy of a high school or college transcript, including GPA, by the stated deadline.
• Submit a qualifying presentation (see below).

Scholarship awards are offered in various amounts, and an independent committee evaluates and ranks all presentations. Payment of scholarship funds is made after verification of enrollment in an accredited institution. For details of the scholarship requirements, please visit the BACNJ/ADC DiRenzo Memorial Scholarship website.

Deadline and award notification

Completed presentations, application forms, and transcripts must be received by deadline noted in the application posted on the scholarship website each year and due for submission at the end of June or early July; late submissions are not accepted. The scholarships are offered once a year and criteria may change from year to year.

Scholarship checks will be presented to selected winners at the BAC/ADC of NJ Membership Mega Meeting each year in July.

This is an annual process if an applicant misses the deadline.

How apprentices and members use both the pathway and the scholarship

• Apprentices and members follow the standard HCCC admissions process (as first-time or transfer students) to enroll, then receive credit toward the HCCC Construction Management associate degree through the new apprenticeship articulation.
• Once enrolled or registered as college students for Fall 2026, eligible members or their children may apply for the Joseph P. DiRenzo Memorial Scholarship to help cover tuition and costs at HCCC, NJIT, or another accredited college or university.
• By combining apprenticeship credit, the HCCC–NJIT degree pathway, and the DiRenzo Scholarship, BAC/ADC of NJ families can significantly reduce the overall cost of earning both an associate and bachelor’s degree while staying active in the union and workforce.