At the heart of New Mexico’s economic development strategy lies the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP)—one of the most generous and impactful workforce development incentives in the nation. Designed to help expanding or relocating businesses cultivate skilled local talent, JTIP provides reimbursements of 40% to 75% of trainee wages, covering up to six months of training. It also supports custom classroom instruction at New Mexico’s public training institutions.
For businesses, this means lower hiring costs, faster onboarding, and a workforce trained specifically to meet your operational needs. For the state, it means more high-quality jobs, stronger communities, and sustainable economic growth.
Who Qualifies for JTIP?
Understanding the Advantages of JTIP
Leveraging JTIP for Workforce Development
JTIP is open to companies that are:
- Expanding, relocating to, or already operating in New Mexico, creating net new jobs and maintaining a physical presence in the state.
- Manufacturing a product in New Mexico or providing non-retail services, with at least 50% of revenue or customers outside the state.
- Green industry businesses may qualify under alternative guidelines.
Certain sectors are generally ineligible, including agriculture, construction, extractive industries, health care, gambling, and retail.
Which Jobs Qualify?
To be eligible for reimbursement, positions must be:
- Newly created, full-time (minimum 32 hours/week), and year-round.
- Directly tied to the company’s core product or service.
- Offered with guaranteed full-time employment upon training completion.
Up to 10–20% of approved jobs may be administrative or support positions such as marketing or HR.
Who Can Be Trained Under JTIP?
Trainees must meet the following criteria:
- Be new hires to the company.
- Have been New Mexico residents for at least one continuous year prior to hire and be domiciled in the state while working (exceptions apply for certain high-wage hires relocating to NM).
- Not have exited high school in the three months prior to employment unless they have graduated or earned an equivalency diploma.
Generous Reimbursements and Additional Incentives
JTIP supports up to six months of trainee wages—reimbursing between 40% and 75%, depending on location:
- Urban areas: up to 50%
- Rural areas: up to 65%
- Frontier, tribal, or colonia areas: up to 75%
On top of that, companies can receive an extra 5% reimbursement for:
- High-wage jobs (meeting state thresholds)
- Hiring recent New Mexico graduates, U.S. veterans, or foster care alumni
- Using workforce support services such as the NM Workforce Connection
These incentives can be combined—up to a maximum of 10% above standard rates—but cannot exceed 100% of wages when combined with other programs.
The Application Process
- Start with the Eligibility Questionnaire to confirm your company qualifies.
- Prepare a proposal outlining your business case, job descriptions, and training plans.
- Submit your application at least one month before the JTIP Board meeting, which takes place on the second Friday of each month.
- Once approved, companies receive reimbursements after training is completed and documented.
Access the JTIP application directly here:
Proven Impact: FY25 and the Start of FY26
JTIP’s impact is felt across industries and communities statewide. In June and July 2025 alone, the program supported 307 trainees across 12 companies, representing more than $3.6 million in funding.
For Fiscal Year 2025, JTIP approved awards for 60 companies and 1,238 trainees—including 820 workers in rural areas earning an average wage of $21. The program also funded 38 interns, preparing the next generation of New Mexico talent.
The Step Up initiative—a JTIP feature that helps upskill current employees—continued to grow. In June 2025, three Step Up awards supported 224 employees with more than $2.2 million in funding.
Examples of Companies Benefiting from JTIP
- ABB Installation Products, Inc. (Albuquerque) – $457,775 to train 80 employees at $22/hour
- Arcosa Wind Towers (Belen) – $1,125,919 to train 80 employees at $24/hour
- Kairos Power LLC (Albuquerque) – $821,552 to train 32 employees at $49/hour
- Navitas Global LLC (Portales) – $579,776 to train 34 employees in advanced biofuels
- Golightly Company, LLC (Santa Fe) – Step Up funding for 4 employees in textile and chocolate production
These examples highlight the diversity of industries that can benefit—from advanced manufacturing and energy to creative industries and specialty food production.
Why Employers Should Consider JTIP Now
In today’s competitive hiring environment, JTIP can be the difference between delaying growth and accelerating it. By covering a significant portion of training costs, companies can:
- Hire more employees sooner
- Provide specialized training that fits their unique operations
- Improve retention by offering advancement opportunities
- Strengthen their competitive position in national and global markets
For rural employers, the higher reimbursement rates make JTIP an even more powerful growth tool—allowing smaller communities to attract and keep good jobs.
Bottom line: If you’re a New Mexico company planning to hire and train, now is the time to explore JTIP. This program has already helped thousands of workers build their skills and hundreds of companies expand successfully. Yours could be next.
Get started today: https://edd.newmexico.gov/business-development/edd-programs-for-business/job-training-incentive-program/
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