The State of Workforce Development

 

Some say workforce development provides more opportunity for the state to become a nationwide expert on building more inclusive and future-ready workforces.

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NJDOL’s Office of Apprenticeship and Business Services team reports high demand for customized pipelines, occupation-specific partnerships, industry events, and more long-term talent strategies, including youth engagement and assistance navigating grants NJDOL offers.

UPSKILL, for instance, reimburses employers for 50% of the cost of training incumbent workers; the Opportunity Partnership Grant helps displaced workers retrain in high-demand sectors; and the Innovation and Research Fellowship Program (IRFP) supports doctoral-level talent in the state’s growing tech research ecosystem.

Yet, systemic gaps remain, Ford notes.

“We highlight, in our NJBIA Blueprint for a Competitive New Jersey, the need for more coordination within NJDOL,” Ford says. “For example, when one becomes unemployed in the state, there is currently no mechanism tracking what industry they came from to then connect them with similar, available employment opportunities.”

To help bridge such gaps, NJBIA and Focus NJ launched a digital map listing apprenticeship and workforce development opportunities statewide.

That may be a moot point, however, if erratic funding cycles continue, says Peter Connolly, CEO of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP).

“If all these programs that have been working to build momentum and have scored huge wins are suddenly defunded, any workforce issue will only be exacerbated,” Connolly says.

The Rise of AI and Automation

Now is not the time to cut back funding for continuous education and professional development, says Catherine Starghill, executive director of the New Jersey Community College Consortium (NJCCC) for Workforce and Economic Development – especially on the brink of an artificial intelligence (AI) explosion.

“Individuals who master how to use AI as a tool to increase accuracy and productivity will replace those people who do not,” Starghill says. “Basic AI concepts, data literacy, and prompt engineering are just the start of the required skills in the new innovation economy.”

Starghill adds it is incumbent on education and training institutions to instruct on how AI can enhance outcomes that lead to economic mobility.

“Ironically, as machines become more capable, skills that are uniquely human grow in importance,” she says. “Workers must be able to assess AI outputs, identify bias, and understand implications – and empathy and interpersonal skills cannot be automated.”

Empowering Tomorrow’s Workforce

Expanding short- and long-term credential programs and ensuring New Jersey’s community colleges can deliver industry-aligned training are future priorities for the Career Pathways Initiative, spearheaded by the NJCCC and NJBIA and supported by more than 1,800 industry and education partners.

“By periodically convening stakeholders from education, government, and industry, we aim to build scalable and inclusive talent pipelines for New Jersey’s industry sectors that mean the most to the state’s economy, including health services, infrastructure and energy, manufacturing and supply chain management, as well as technology and innovation,” Starghill says. “The initiative has been an excellent vehicle for tearing down silos and forging impactful partnerships that benefit learners and employers.”

Forty-eight education and training pathways have already been created or enhanced by ecosystem partners working together, including 17 community colleges, 16 four-year colleges and universities, nine labor unions, 56 comprehensive and vocational technological high schools, and 23 community-based training providers, industry associations, and workforce development boards. More than 7,000 students and workers have utilized Pathways programs.

“Most recently, we answered a call and created workforce organizations focused on building an innovative workforce of skilled entry-level technicians and staff for two industries: life sciences and film and television production,” Starghill says.

NJBioFutures, a strategic public-private partnership dedicated to building a highly skilled workforce for the life sciences and bio-manufacturing industries, will include cell and gene therapeutics technologies.

The New Jersey Film Academy, a collaboration between Brookdale Community College and others, will train film and television production professionals in anticipation of the new Netflix studio in Monmouth County.

The Middle-Skills Gap

In New Jersey, there are more than 20,000 projected annual openings in middle-skills roles such as HVAC technicians, mechanics, welders, and healthcare professionals.

“This gap is driven by baby-boomer retirements, underinvestment in vocational education, and a cultural bias favoring four-year degrees,” says Francisco J. Galindo, assistant vice president of public relations and stakeholder engagement at Lincoln Tech.

Lincoln Tech reports promising outcomes and enticing returns-on-investment: a 79% employment rate in 2024, average starting salaries near $42,000, and low debt loads for graduates.

Meanwhile, NJMEP is working to break the stigma around manufacturing jobs, running more than 530 public training classes since 2019.

But outreach needs to start earlier, Connolly says, citing how NJMEP’s Mobile Training Lab and Future Makers & Creators Tour have reached thousands of students with hands-on demos in robotics, welding, and 3D printing.

For the full article visit New Jersey Business Magazine.