BillTrack50 logo
Free Signup Login
Bill

Bill > S2181

NJ S2181

NJ S2181
Establishes "New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program" to strengthen alignment and collaboration between local workforce development boards, community colleges, and county vocational school districts; makes appropriation.

summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
01/13/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
01/13/2026

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill establishes the "New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program" ("system") to strengthen the strategic alignment and collaboration between the operations of local workforce development boards, community colleges, and county vocational school districts. The pilot program is to include: (1) joint development and implementation of workforce training programs with an emphasis on industry-recognized credentials; (2) collaborative efforts for branding, outreach, and marketing to increase awareness of available training and career services; (3) integrated planning and coordination of funding resources to maximize the impact of State and federal support for workforce development; and (4) performance evaluation based on appropriate metrics aligned with State and federal workforce development programs to assess participant outcomes, program effectiveness and other measures as required under federal law and applicable State laws. Further, the commission, in consultation with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges and the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools, is required pursuant to the bill to develop a strategy for strengthening Statewide alignment and collaboration between local workforce development boards, community colleges, and county vocational school districts. The strategy is to include a guideline for scaling the pilot program to other areas throughout the State, recommendations for changes needed to facilitate strategic alignment and collaboration, and an implementation timeline and resource plan for stronger Statewide strategic alignment and collaboration. The commission is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on the progress and outcomes of the pilot program and the implementation of the system. Finally, the bill designates community colleges and county vocational school districts as the preferred providers of postsecondary education, workforce training, and adult literacy programs for State workforce development services.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the "New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program" to improve how local workforce development boards, community colleges, and county vocational school districts work together to train people for jobs. The pilot program will involve jointly creating training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials, which are certifications that show someone has specific skills valued by employers. It also aims to improve how these organizations market their services to make more people aware of training and career help. A key part of the program is better planning and coordination of funding from both state and federal sources to make workforce development efforts more effective. The program will be evaluated based on how well participants find jobs, gain credentials, and increase their wages, aligning with state and federal goals. The State Employment and Training Commission, which is the state agency overseeing workforce development, will also develop a statewide strategy to expand these collaborative efforts, including recommendations for necessary changes and a plan for implementation. The commission will report annually to the Governor and Legislature on the pilot program's progress and outcomes. Finally, community colleges and county vocational school districts will be prioritized as providers for state-funded job training and adult literacy programs.

Committee Categories

Labor and Employment

Sponsors (8)

Last Action

Withdrawn Because Approved P.L.2025, c.375. (on 01/13/2026)
(3 Companion Bills)

bill text

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/S2181
BillText https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/S2500/2181_I1.HTM
Loading...