Bill > S3349

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the New Jersey Workforce Industry Needs Scholarship, which will provide opportunities to students pursuing professional certificates, industry-recognized credentials, diplomas, or degrees from eligible programs at a county college or county vocational school in the State. Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Community College Consortium, and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, is required to develop a list of eligible programs at county colleges and county vocational schools. Eligible programs are to be programs that prepare students to enter the workforce and meet the specific labor needs of the State as identified in the Labor Demand Occupation List produced by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Eligible programs are additionally to include, but need not be limited to, necessary certificates, credentials, diplomas, licenses or degrees for high demand positions in: advanced manufacturing; architecture and construction; education; health care and social services; human resources; law and public safety; life sciences; and transportation, logistics, and distribution. The scholarship amount is equal to the cost of tuition, fees, expenses for required course-related materials, and fees for professional licenses after applying all other federal or State scholarships or grants, and is not to exceed $5,000 each year. A student is eligible to receive the scholarship for up to three years if the student is enrolled in an associate degree program, and up to two years if the student is enrolled in any other eligible program. A student enrolled in a degree-seeking program shall maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better on a 4.0 grading scale. Scholarships are to be awarded on an annual basis and subject to the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the scholarship. Priority is to be given to students seeking a degree, diploma, professional certificate, or industry-recognized credential in an industry area of high need. A minimum of five percent of scholarship awards are to be allocated towards dual-enrollment students eligible to receive the scholarship.

Committee Categories

Bob Singer (R)*,  Andrew Zwicker (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee (on 06/03/2024)

Official Document