Labor Department Given Key Role in Shaping NJ’s Innovation-Driven Economic Future

By Robert Asaro-Angelo, Commissioner, NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development On Jun 1, 2019

Early in his tenure as New Jersey’s 56th governor, Phil Murphy unveiled a comprehensive economic development strategy that would position innovation and diversity as economic drivers. Building a workforce of tomorrow lies at the heart of Gov. Murphy’s vision. His proposed incentive programs reward companies that invest in people. World-class workforce training will draw new entrepreneurs to New Jersey and simultaneously prevent “brain drain” by creating ample career opportunities to keep our brightest young and creative minds from leaving the state for employment elsewhere.

As the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL), I’m proud our department is on the front lines as this administration changes the narrative of New Jersey’s future. I’d like to highlight a few of the programs that will help get us there: the New Jersey Apprenticeship Network, NJ Career Accelerator Internships, Innovation and Research Fellowship grants, Industry Partnerships, and the NJ Career Network.

NJDOL’s Office of Apprenticeship has been working diligently to change the way our state’s businesses and young workers think about the often-overlooked – but viable and valuable – career pathway of apprenticeship. We now have 750 Registered Apprenticeship programs with more than 7,600 active apprentices in the state. Part of our work is to build on the successful construction trades model and grow apprenticeship in non-traditional sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and healthcare. At NJDOL, we believe there is almost no industry sector that can’t benefit from apprenticeship. Learn more at nj.gov/labor/apprenticeship/.

The department also is administering a paid internship program for college and high-school students in the STEM fields. The NJ Career Accelerator Internship Program focuses on placing first-time interns in IT/Software, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Energy, and other in-demand STEM fields. Through such critical investments in human capital, we hope to fuel innovation growth at businesses across the state and recapture our state’s reputation as a pre-eminent leader in science and technology. 

Another way we are investing in the future of work is through our new Innovation and Research Fellowships, a competitive grant program that pays the salaries of pre- and post-Ph.D. research fellows while they advance their research at New Jersey science and technology companies. The Notice of Grant Opportunity was announced May 2, and the first awards will be made by the fall. The grants will encourage talented researchers and the startups and large businesses who hire them to remain and do business in New Jersey. For more information on these competitive grants, visit our website.

NJDOL is currently updating its model for building sector partnerships that drive business-government collaborations to meet workforce and economic challenges. Industry partnerships bring together business leaders from similar sectors (e.g., biopharma and life sciences) to identify their workforce needs and discuss their operational challenges. Public agencies then develop customized training and education solutions based on these needs. For more information, visit: nj.gov/labor/partnerships.

Finally, NJDOL has been working closely with the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development to build the NJ Career Network and develop innovative online resources for jobseekers. In the works are self-guided tools to address the personalized needs of people seeking new jobs and those seeking to acquire new skills. 

Taken together, these investments in apprentices, interns and research fellows – and the businesses who cultivate and mentor our up-and-coming talent – coupled with our new sector-based industry partnerships and customized tools for jobseekers, ensure that New Jersey is a leader in workforce development and looked to as a model for building a strong, fair economy.