The state’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent in March, a rate not seen since October 2007. As of this writing, our unemployment rate is 0.5 percentage points below the national average of 4.9 percent. This is great news.

As a longtime business journalist, who in his early days worked on this magazine’s annual Top 100 Employers listing, I remember how, year after year, New Jersey’s unemployment rate was consistently lower than the national average. So, when the Great Recession hit and I saw the state’s rate drastically rise, it was disheartening.  In the recession’s aftermath, it seemed as if New Jersey would never get out of its stagnant doldrums in terms of job creation.

People needed jobs, but what amazed me were the reports that good-paying jobs were available. The problem was that people didn’t have the right skills to fill those positions. This is one of the many reasons why workforce development is important.

In this issue, you will read six articles written by leaders from state agencies, business organizations and academia who are leading the charge on workforce development. When reading these articles, you will notice that these separate organizations are working in tandem, delivering their respective resources to the table to improve workers’ skills.

Yes, the economy is improving, but highly trained professionals are still in demand in various high-tech fields. Additionally, soft skills – the ability to communicate effectively, work in teams, and even show up on time – are in need.

A special thanks goes out to the authors who contributed to the series of articles: Harold J. Wirths, commissioner, New Jersey Department of Labor; Dennis M. Bone, chairman, State Employment and Training Commission; Dr. Lawrence A. Nespoli, president of the NJ Council of County Colleges; Sivaraman Anbarasan, executive director of the NJ Community College Consortium for Workforce & Economic Development; Timothy J. McCorkell, president of the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools; John Kennedy, CEO, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Network; and Tyler Seville, associate director of education & workforce development, New Jersey Business & Industry Association. The series of stories begins with an introduction.

We hope you enjoy these and other features in this issue.