National thought leaders weigh in on community colleges of future at NJ Pathways summit

More than 350 New Jersey community college, education and state government officials, as well as workforce partners, business partners and national experts, recently gathered for the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities Summit at Bally’s Atlantic City.

The conference, “Expanding Innovative Workforce and Education Partnerships,” focused on equitable education and training pathways which align to the needs of business.

New Jersey Council of County Colleges Vice President Catherine Staghill said the conference will have impact in New Jersey.

“Hearing the insightful perspectives and experiences of these national thought leaders and engaging in conversations with them helps us chart the path for Year Three of the Pathways Initiative,” she said. “As we build on the momentum of our accomplishments with more than 1,800 educational and business partners across New Jersey, the forward-thinking dialogue at this summit helps us think outside of the box and push our boundaries even further as we dive deeper into this transformative infrastructure of collaboration.”

The event had seven national speakers:

• Chauncey Lennon, VP for learning work and senior strategy adviser, Lumina Foundation;
• Scott Cheney, CEO, Credential Engine;
• Ken Sauer, senior associate commissioner and chief academic officer, Indiana Commission for Higher Education;
• Charlotte Cahill, associate VP, education, Jobs for the Future;
• Amanda Winters, program director, post-secondary education, National Governors Association;
• Keith Witham, VP of education, philanthropy, Ascendium Education;
• Paul Fain, Work Shift and the Job and the Cusp podcasts (former reporter and editor for Inside Higher Ed).

The speakers discussed the trends and innovations in education and training, specifically about national lessons learned regarding equity and access to high-quality credentials, the benefits of credential transparency to students, jobseekers and employers, work-based learning and apprenticeships, and the overall future of work.

“Navigating the thousands of education and training choices is a challenge for anyone looking to get the right skills for their career path,” Cheney said. “New Jersey’s community colleges are working to make that easier through more transparency, richer information about quality and outcomes, and clear links between what employers require and what they offer their students. Credential Engine is pleased to support this work so that New Jersey’s education and training systems are more equitable, efficient and effective.”

Cahill said a new vision is needed.

“We need to think about perceptions about industries; like everything else, they have ethnic, racial patterns,” ‘he said. “A lot of students are maybe not so interested because of what they’ve heard from parents, neighbors, relatives, and, so, we need to think about navigation in those careers paths that break down the preconceived ideas that young adults have about how friendly some industries are to different types of groups.”

NJ Pathways — formed by New Jersey’s community colleges and the New Jersey Business & Industry Association — brings together industry and education partners to form an education ecosystem that is connected statewide and is guided by industry leaders to build an innovative workforce in the Garden State.

The initiative now has more than 1,800 industry and education partners statewide helping to propel New Jersey’s economy to new heights, and its programs have served over 6,500 students, adult learners and education professionals.

“NIBIA is proud to partner with New Jersey’s community colleges on the Pathways Initiative so that businesses have a seat at the table when determining education in our colleges needed for the jobs of tomorrow,” NJBIA Chief Government Affairs Officer Chris Emigholz said in the opening remarks.

“It is essential for being the most competitive workforce possible.”

NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities milestones achieved to date include:

• The creation of four industry collaboratives focused on health services, infrastructure and energy, manufacturing and supply chain management, and technology and innovation;
• The creation of sustainable partnerships — “a paradigm shift” — between industry and education so industry may directly influence education and training pathways to ensure future employees have the skills and training needed by businesses in New Jersey;
• The engagement of over 1,800 industry and education partners in one pathways-focused, statewide ecosystem;
• The creation of as many as 10 Centers of Workforce Innovation focused on occupations across the four industry collaboratives in which cross-education sector partners build new and enhance existing education and training pathways for traditional students, adult learners and workers;
• The development of 67 education and training pathways, workshops, registered apprenticeships, pilots and professional development sessions to meet learners where they are for the lifelong learning required of our competitive economy; and
• Over 6,500 high school students, college students, adult learners, workers and education professionals participated in NJ Pathways funded workshops, courses, apprenticeships, training programs and professional development sessions.