$8.4 Million in Grants Will Help to Expand NJ’s Talent Development Centers

On Aug 15, 2017

The Christie Administration is expanding its Talent Development Center (TDC) initiative with a Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO) establishing as many as seven Talent Development Centers – up to $1.2 million each for Fiscal Year 2018 – to develop and implement customized, employer-driven training programs in New Jersey’s key industries to secure the Garden State’s role as an innovative  economic leader.

“In a rapidly changing, global economy, we must continue to build a skilled and trained workforce and bolstering the great work of the Talent Development Centers will help further the vital role our state’s colleges and universities play in shaping New Jersey’s economic future,” said Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D., commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Each TDC will serve as a “Center for Excellence” for career pathway development and implementation within the following seven designated industries: Transportation, Logistics and Distribution; Construction/Utilities; Advanced Manufacturing; Health Care; Retail, Hospitality and Tourism; Life Sciences; and Financial Services. The awarded institutions will be tasked with providing training to dislocated and disadvantaged workers, developing partnerships with employers and local Workforce Development Boards, and creating career pathways toward an industry-valued credential or degree.

The funding for these grants are provided by the Workforce Development Partnership (WDP) program and the Workforce Fund for Basic Skills (SWFBS). The total funding will not exceed $8.4 million for Fiscal Year 2018 with a possible extension for an additional two years, contingent on successful performance and the availability of funds. Eligible applicants include public colleges and universities (including community colleges, four-year colleges and universities) and independent not-for-profit colleges and universities.

New Jersey’s Talent Development Centers are part of the ‘65 by 25: Many Paths, One Future’ initiative, working to build a skilled, competitive workforce by helping New Jerseyans find pathways to careers. A collaborative effort of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Education and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the effort is focused on increasing the percentage of New Jersey adults who have earned an industry-valued post-secondary credential or degree from 50 percent to 65 percent by 2025.

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