Establishes New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act.

A1329

ASSEMBLY, No. 1329

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CODY D. MILLER

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblywoman LUANNE M. PETERPAUL

District 11 (Monmouth)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Carter, Reynolds-Jackson, Haider, Assemblyman
Hutchison, Assemblywomen Speight, Drulis, Lopez and Bagolie

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes New Jersey Pathways to Career
Opportunities Initiative Act.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act
establishing the New Jersey Pathways to Career
Opportunities Initiative Act and supplementing chapter 64A of Title 18A of the
New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� This act shall be known
and may be cited as the �New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative
Act.�

���� 2.��� a.� The New Jersey
Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development shall
operate a New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, the purpose
of which shall be to provide students, workers, and job seekers with the 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.

���� b.��� The Commissioner of
Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of
Education, the Secretary of Higher Education, the New Jersey Council of County
Colleges, and representatives of the business community, shall promote and
support the implementation of the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities
Initiative.

���� c.���� The New Jersey
Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development may
establish Centers of Workforce Innovation that offer career pathways in areas
that include, but are not limited to, the following:

���� (1)�� patient care;

���� (2)�� healthcare technology
and administration;

���� (3)�� direct support;

���� (4)�� manufacturing production
and engineering;

���� (5)�� supply chain logistics;

���� (6)�� data science;

���� (7)�� cybersecurity;

���� (8)�� program and software
development;

���� (9)�� research and
development;

���� (10) renewable energy; and

���� (11) construction.

���� d.��� The Centers of Workforce
Innovation shall:

���� (1)�� develop curriculum
specific to each career pathway, which shall be made publicly available;

���� (2)�� provide students with
the instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in a career pathway
field;

���� (3)�� promote the use of
Community College Opportunity Grants and other State and federal financial aid
to support promotion along the pathways, including for incumbent workers; and

���� (4)�� promote the expansion of
apprenticeship and other work-based learning opportunities for students.�

���� e.���� The Centers of
Workforce Innovation shall collaborate with industry leaders and educational
partners across the State to expand economic mobility opportunity and drive
economic growth.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� 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 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.