The State of Workforce Development

From aging workers and political headwinds to AI disruption and gaps in middle-skill training, the road ahead for job training will demand coordination and investment.

By Meg Fry, Contributing Writer On Aug 5, 2025

Some say workforce development provides more opportunity for the state to become a nationwide expert on building more inclusive and future-ready workforces. But even when New Jersey’s system of invested stakeholders pulls together for more cohesive workforce development solutions, the state of the world – and technology evolving with it – still complicate things. 

“For example, President Trump wants to re-shore manufacturing, but the manufacturing of many items was sent overseas decades ago,” says Althea D. Ford, vice president of government affairs for the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA). “Standing up more opportunities here in the US and particularly in New Jersey will require more intentional energy and investment into the development of our workforce.” 

That investment often intertwines with national politics: “Financial support comes from the federal government for many types of programs, and changing or depleting it has strong implications for today’s workforce,” Ford adds. 

Take tariffs, for example, says James Manning, director of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) Office of Apprenticeship and Business Services. “Continued uncertainty regarding tariffs is having an impact on some businesses as they face the possibility of absorbing more costs for importing raw materials,” he says. “This is leading to employers being more cautious in hiring and making long-term investments in their workforce.”

Despite geopolitical setbacks, New Jersey workforce development is still kicking.

Invest in Workforce Development 

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. 

“We provide instructors and curriculum to build out high schools’ abilities to engage students and provide them with skills that can help land an incredible career right out of school.” 

Jill Schiff, COO of the Associated Construction Contractors of NJ, says that based on the response to the organization’s Construction Industry Career two-day event showcasing the construction industry’s educational opportunities and occupations, the workforce tide may be turning. 

“Attendance rates are higher than ever, and there is a waiting list for high schools to attend each year,” she says. “The trades look to this event to show what they have to offer and recruit new members.” 

Apprenticeships Work – When Available 

“Our biggest need in statewide workforce development in New Jersey is the buy-in from employers that Registered Apprenticeships (RA) are a viable solution to finding qualified employees,” says Manning of NJDOL.

But the state has made major strides, including:

• $100 million invested since 2018;
• 873 new RA programs – a 143% statewide increase;
• Over 23,000 new apprentices hired;
• And a 41% increase in active registered apprentices.

NJDOL programs such as the Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) and Youth Transitions to Work (YTTW) programs are providing workforce readiness and hands-on occupational training to better prepare individuals for RAs, while its Growing Apprenticeship in Non-Traditional Sectors (GAINS) program helps employers offset training costs associated with hiring new apprentices. 

David Iannucci, special projects coordinator at Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers, says additional resources would help in supplementing the state’s efforts. 

“If resources were not an issue, we would build a seamless, statewide system that connects young people to trade exposure starting in middle school, including pre-apprenticeship-like curriculum as a standard option in high school,” he says. 

Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers’ apprenticeship programs are currently tuition-free, earn-as-you-learn opportunities tied directly to union jobs. 

“Our pre-apprenticeship cohorts see consistent placement rates of more than 70% into full apprenticeship programs, with first-year commercial carpenters starting at $22.40 per hour,” Iannucci adds. “Many of our recruitment efforts have also seen significant increases in first-generation carpenters, and we are making a conscious effort to support and recruit those who are unfamiliar or new to the trades.” 

Calls for Coordination and Commitment 

New Jersey has many of the right pieces in place: strategic partnerships, innovative grant programs, and committed stakeholders across education, industry, and government. Yet challenges remain.

“We need to ask what successful employees look like across each industry today,” NJBIA’s Ford says. “What credentials do they have, what on-the-job training have they received, and what makes them efficient and irreplaceable? 

“Then and only then can we take a pragmatic and cohesive approach to reimagining industry and educational requirements and programming, so we can yield more productive employees.”

---

NJBioFutures Reporting Successes in Workforce Development 

When students at three New Jersey community colleges return to campus this Fall, they will be able to take classes and receive hands-on training in new, state-of-the-art labs for aseptic biomanufacturing as a part of NJBioFutures, a public-private workforce development initiative, accelerated through a $1 million contribution by Johnson & Johnson. 

The three participating colleges – Raritan Valley, Middlesex, and Mercer – recently filmed a joint episode of NJBIA’s Minding Your Business, which highlights the collective momentum behind NJBioFutures and aims to raise public awareness about the growing career pathways in cell and gene therapy, biomanufacturing, and life sciences. 

Since the launch in February, colleges have hosted multiple industry roundtables and convenings with biopharma leaders, trade associations (such as BioNJ), and workforce boards to inform curriculum relevance and create more direct connections to job opportunities. 

Additionally, construction of new or expanded lab space has been completed, expert instructors hired, and industry-forward curricula finalized before students arrive for the Fall semester. 

 All three colleges have engaged in professional development planning and curriculum mapping activities aligned with national frameworks (e.g., NIIMBL), ensuring that instruction meets evolving industry standards and supports stackable credentials and credit-bearing pathways. 

Pilot programs have been developed to connect students to experiential learning opportunities, including job shadowing, guest speakers, and virtual and augmented reality simulations.

Efforts are also underway to engage adult learners and underrepresented populations in the life sciences talent pipeline through targeted outreach, wraparound support services and contextualized foundational skills training embedded in the NJBioFutures framework.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: