SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 253

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  JUNE 17, 2019

 

     The Senate Higher Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 253.

     This bill directs the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development to consult with each county college to foster the development of certificate programs that connect regional employers to county colleges in the collaborative development of programs that meet the unique needs of the employers and are directly connected to the knowledge and skills required by the employer.  The certificate programs established by the county college must be directly targeted to business and industry located in the region that have an identified and immediate need to hire employees with education and skills that are not being addressed through other available training opportunities.

     Under such a certificate program, the employer will develop the curriculum to ensure that it is directly aligned to its employment needs. The employer will be able to prescreen candidates prior to enrollment in the certificate program to ensure that the candidate demonstrates the aptitudes, abilities, and qualities sought by the employer.  The county college will provide the faculty for the certificate program and will make college facilities available for the program.  Upon agreement with the employer, certificate program classes may be held on-site at the employer’s business location.  An employer may hire an individual enrolled in a certificate program prior to completion of the program with continued employment dependent upon successful completion.  The employer must make a commitment to interview all graduates of the program for employment positions that are available at the time of the participant’s completion of the program.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2018-2019 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

      As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 841, which also was reported by the committee on this same date.