Free Job Training in Albuquerque Has Reached 5,000 Workers, With Average Raises of 27%

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Free job training in Albuquerque has quietly become one of the city's better raise machines. The City of Albuquerque reported this week that its Job Training Albuquerque program has now trained more than 5,000 workers since 2020, and that people who went through it saw average wage increases of 27%. If you work for a small local business, there's a decent chance your employer qualifies, and the training costs you nothing.

Your boss applies, you get the skills, and neither of you pays for the class. Here's how it works and how job seekers can use it.

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Program	Job Training Albuquerque (JTA)
Run by	City of Albuquerque, in partnership with CNM
Cost	Free to employers and workers
Who applies	The employer, on behalf of its staff
Eligible employers	For-profit and nonprofit businesses with fewer than 500 employees, headquartered inside Albuquerque city limits
Results since 2020	5,000+ workers trained, 468 small businesses served, 2,314 jobs added
Apply	jobtrainingabq.org

💪 What Job Training Albuquerque Has Delivered

The city's September 28 update puts real numbers on six years of work. Beyond the 5,000-plus workers trained, the program has served 468 small businesses, and those businesses added 2,314 jobs along the way. Women made up 55% of participants, and 53% came from minority communities.

The 27% figure is an average across participants, not a promise for any one person. Still, it tells you something useful: in this market, a credential or a new skill set tends to show up in the paycheck. Mayor Tim Keller framed it simply, saying the program gives local businesses the tools to grow and workers the opportunity to get ahead.

What the Training Covers

This isn't one generic class. Training runs across technology, marketing, education, construction, hospitality, human resources, accounting, health care and professional fields. Providers include UNM's Anderson Business Academy, CNM Ingenuity and Deep Dive Coding, with sessions starting on a rolling basis rather than on a single annual deadline. Several new sessions are already scheduled to start in October.

The catch for individual job seekers: you can't sign yourself up. The employer applies. So if you work at a locally owned shop in Nob Hill, a clinic off Montgomery or a contractor on the West Side, the move is to walk this over to your manager or HR person and ask.

✅ No Employer? The City Has a Free Option for You, Too

If you're between jobs or your employer doesn't qualify, look at Get Certified ABQ, the city's partnership with Google. It offers free Google Career Certificates in fields like IT support, data analytics, project management, UX design and digital marketing. You need to be at least 16 and either live in Bernalillo County or attend a high school in the county. The city says participants get eight months to finish, plus resume and interview-prep support at the end.

🔎 Put New Skills to Work in Albuquerque

Training pays off fastest when you're aiming at the jobs it fits. Tech support, data, health care and the trades all hire steadily across the metro, from Uptown offices to the medical corridor along Lomas. Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Job Training Albuquerque really free?

Yes. The program says training is fully funded, so neither the employer nor the employee pays for the courses.

Can I apply to Job Training Albuquerque as an individual?

No. Employers apply on behalf of their staff. If you're job hunting on your own, Get Certified ABQ is the city's free option for individuals.

Which businesses qualify?

For-profit and nonprofit businesses with fewer than 500 employees that are headquartered inside Albuquerque city limits. A business based in Rio Rancho or elsewhere outside the city limits wouldn't meet that headquarters rule.

Will training guarantee me a raise?

No. The 27% is an average increase the city reported across participants. Individual results depend on the job, the employer and the skills you pick up.

How do I apply for Get Certified ABQ?

Apply through the city at cabq.gov/getcertified. You must be 16 or older and live in Bernalillo County or attend a county high school.

Ready to Level Up Your Albuquerque Career?

New skills open doors, but you still have to knock. Create your free LocalJobPage profile to get Albuquerque openings as they post, and browse the Career Center for pay and hiring guides by field.

Employers: Training your team and ready to hire more? Post your Albuquerque jobs on LocalJobPage.