SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4023

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 22, 2025

      The Senate Higher Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4023.

      This bill establishes the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act, which codifies the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development’s New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative.

      Under the bill, the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development is required to operate a New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, the purpose of which is to provide students, workers, and job seekers with career pathways they need to pursue promising new careers and opportunities; to strengthen career pathways partnerships between county colleges and employers, primary and secondary schools, vocational technical high schools, four-year institutions of higher education, unions, and community based organizations; and to ensure that employers have access to a highly skilled workforce to meet critical labor market needs.   The bill directs the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to promote and support the implementation of the initiative. 

      The bill permits the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development to establish Centers of Workforce Innovation that offer career pathways in various areas.

      The bill directs the Centers of Workforce Innovation to develop curriculum specific to each career pathway that is to be made publicly available, provide students with instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in a career pathway, promote the use of the Community College Opportunity Grants, promote the expansion of apprenticeship and other work-based learning opportunities for students, and to collaborate with business leaders and educational partners across the State.