Discusses New Jersey's highly skilled workforce and the initiatives that will continue to improve and strengthen its workforce to increase its competitiveness in today's economy

1. The New Jersey Workforce:
Enhancing the State’s Greatest Competitive
Advantage in a Global Economy
Carl E. Van Horn, Professor and Director
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
December 2008

2. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 2
Workforce Quality is Key to New Jersey’s
Economic Competitiveness
 During the recession and beyond, New Jersey’s
greatest competitive advantage is its highly skilled
workforce
 Employers cite workforce issues as top concerns
affecting business success
 Globalization and competition present new challenges
to employers
 Education and training need to be better aligned with
employer needs

3. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 3
New Jersey has the “Workforce Advantage”
Sources:
1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2006 (through November for U.S.) and through October for NJ, PA, and NY
2. Author’s calculation based on 2004-2014 labor force projection figures developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
(national) and each state’s department of labor
NJ U.S. PA NY
Labor Force
Number1
(in millions) 3.1 111.6 4.8 7
Annual Growth Rate (2004-2014)2
1% 1% 1% 1%
Education1
Less than High School 14% 16% 14% 16%
High School or GED 30% 30% 39% 30%
Some college or Associates Degree 22% 27% 22% 23%
Bachelors Degree 21% 17% 16% 18%
Advanced Degree 12% 10% 10% 13%
Income1
(Figures rounded)
Median Household Income $64,500 $48,500 $46,500 $51,500
Median Per Capita Income $32,000 $25,500 $25,000 $28,000
Diversity1
Asian 8% 4% 2% 7%
Black or African American 14% 12% 10% 16%
Hispanic or Latino 16% 15% 4% 16%
Foreign-Born 20% 13% 5% 22%
Unemployment1
Unemployment Rate 6.0% 6.7% 5.8% 5.7%

4. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 4
Employers Say New Jersey Workforce is a
Major Competitive Advantage
The 2007 New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Survey of 135
New Jersey employers found:
 Nearly 70% rate quality and availability of the workforce
as major or minor positive factor to doing business in
New Jersey
 86% rate workforce quality as a “critical” or “extremely
important” factor in making expansion decisions — more
than any other factor
 Nearly 60% say New Jersey is stronger in workforce
quality than other locations
Source: New Jersey Economic Policy Forum (2007), C-Suite Survey: Overview of Survey Findings. Rutgers, The
State University of New Jersey: New Brunswick, NJ.

5. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 5
Top Concerns Affecting Business Success
Workforce is also a Top Concern of
New Jersey Employers
11% 16% 20% 18% 17%
13%
16% 20%
33%
4% 6% 8%
2%2%
8%
7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Local
Services
Local Taxes Energy
Costs
State
Regulations
State Taxes Health
Insurance
Costs
Quality of
Applicants
for New or
Open
Positions
with Your
Firm
Quality of
Workers
Currently
Employed
with Your
Firm
Second most important concern Most important concern
Source: John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development (2006), New Jersey Employer Survey. Rutgers, The
State University of New Jersey: New Brunswick, NJ..
N=300

6. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 6
Challenges to New Jersey’s Competitiveness
Posed by a Global, Innovation-based Economy
 Employers have more
options for finding skilled
workers around the world
 Skill requirements of jobs
are increasing and
changing rapidly
 Workers must engage in
lifelong learning

7. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 7
New Jersey Must Better Align Education
with Employer Skill Needs
In a global, competitive
economy, New Jersey must
continue to invest and plan
for employers’ current and
future workers.

8. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 8
Steps to Improve Workforce Preparation
in New Jersey
Step 1
Develop enhanced labor market information
Step 2
Provide enhanced information
to job seekers and students
Step 3
Develop partnerships between
industries, educational
institutions, and the workforce
development system
Step 4
Evaluate the strategies and use the feedback to strengthen the model

9. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 9
Efforts Underway to Address Employer
Skill Needs Must be Strengthened
Planning and Strategy Efforts
 Industry Workforce Advisory Councils
 Ready for the Job Initiative
 HINJ Pharmaceutical Industry Study
Implementation Efforts
 Innovation Partnership Institutes
 High-Growth Workforce Investment Grants
 Verizon Career Connections
 NJNextStop.org Website
 Regional Efforts with Federal WIRED Funding (Bio-1, NJEIA,
DVIN)

10. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 10
Summary of Key New Jersey Initiatives
Develop
Enhanced
Labor
Market
Information
Provide
Enhanced
Information
to Job
Seekers and
Students
Create
Industry/
Education
Partnerships
Industry Workforce Advisory
Councils in Key Industries
X
Ready for the Job Initiative X
HINJ Pharmaceutical Industry
Study
X X
Verizon Career Connections X X
NJNextStop.org X
Innovation Partnership Institutes X X
High-Growth Workforce
Investment Grants
X
Regional Efforts with Federal
WIRED Funding (NJEIA, Bio-1,
DVIN)
X X X

11. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 11
Industries Covered by State Initiatives
 Financial Services  Casinos/Hotels
 Communications/
Information Technology
 Renewable Energy
 Life Sciences, including
Healthcare
 Advanced Manufacturing
 Transportation/Logistics/
Distribution

12. New Jersey Workforce
John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development 12
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Carl Van Horn, Ph. D.
Professor and Director
Phone (732) 932-4100 x6305
Fax: (732) 932-3454
E-mail: vanhorn@rci.rutgers.edu