By Jackie Burke

Collaboration. Partnership. Bipartisanship. These are ideals for a reason: they fuel progress. Look to New Jersey’s delivery of career education to see these ideals in action.

Over the past few years, the state’s county vocational-technical schools have added or expanded 81 career programs and completed 21 construction projects, with 10 of those being brand-new standalone buildings. These projects are increasing the schools’ capacity by 13.5% to serve more than 4,700 additional students in programs such as biotechnology, cybersecurity, global logistics, welding and more — all tied to local and statewide workforce needs.

This expansion is a result of the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, which included $275 million in state bond funding to help New Jersey’s county vocational-technical schools meet both student and employer demands for career and technical education (CTE). When this measure was put on the ballot in 2018, the vocational-technical schools averaged nearly 2.5 applicants for every available seat, and employers sought stronger pipelines of candidates with advanced skills.

New Jersey voters passed it and Bond Act grants became available. County vocational-technical schools consulted with area employers, workforce development boards and institutions of higher education to propose projects in response to both industry and student needs, ensuring new programs prepare students for careers where there is demand and opportunity for growth and long-term success.

County governments saw the value of these projects and pledged a 25% funding match for their respective school’s proposals.

Atlantic County Institute of Technology (ACIT) is in the final group of county vocational-technical schools to complete its Bond Act-funded construction project. But, the wait will be worth it when a brand-new school building opens with impressive features, including an airplane hangar.

In the hangar, students will be able to fly drones as part of a new unmanned aerial systems program or even work directly on an airplane in the new aviation maintenance and engineering technologies programs.

These additions were made with input from professional partners, including the Atlantic County Economic Alliance, which views the growth of aviation as important for a healthy and diverse local economy. ACIT’s career programs are key for consistent workforce development in a range of aviation roles.

Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) completed the first Bond Act-funded project in fall 2023 with the opening of the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Science. The high school program is housed in a newly constructed 25,760-foot building that features multiple labs with Amatrol systems, welding equipment, 3D printers and other technologies and tools to engage students in hands-on learning. As students progress through the curriculum, they become prepared to enter a field with employment gaps, especially in Gloucester County.

When GCIT applied for the first round of Bond Act funding, Gloucester County alone had 574 job openings in the advanced manufacturing field. The district heard from local employers who feared that number would increase as the current workforce aged and roles became increasingly technical.

Today, GCIT is about 18 months out from graduating its first cohort from the four-year Academy of Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Science. Those students will have the skills and confidence to directly enter the workforce and begin contributing to their local economy.

With 21 grants awarded across 18 county vocational-technical schools, the state’s investment in the expansion of career and technical education is now paying off. A project that is helping to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators is the Passaic County Technical Institute’s John Currie Biotechnology Innovation Center, which houses New Jersey’s first DNA Learning Center.

Here, students are learning cutting-edge biotechnology techniques and laboratory equipment through a partnership with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a world leader in DNA research. The students are preparing for a range of careers in biotechnology, from AI-driven biotechnology to cell and gene therapies to molecular engineering.

By giving them the tools to explore this area of the sciences and gain foundational skills from which to build upon, Passaic County Technical Institute is helping New Jersey remain a hub for scientific research and discovery.

Witnessing the students engaged in these new learning spaces makes it clear that the most impressive return on the state’s investment in vocational-technical schools is yet to come. The additional graduates from these new and expanded programs are prepared to enter the workforce or further their education and training in industries critical for our state’s economic vitality.

From proposal to execution, the Securing Our Children’s Bond Act was a collaborative effort, with all parties working with this goal in mind.

It brought people together from across the aisle, from various industries and from throughout the state to achieve a win for all — for our students, our employers and all New Jerseyans who benefit from a strong economy.

Jackie Burke is executive director of N.J. Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.