New Jersey Community Colleges Lead Workforce Development Initiative

Olive-Harvey College has been recognized as one of the 2025 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges, showcasing its commitment to diversity and employee well-being. This accolade, awarded by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, underscores Olive-Harvey's efforts to create an inclusive work environment and enhance professional development opportunities. Concurrently, New Jersey is advancing its education and workforce development ecosystem through the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, which fosters public-private partnerships to build a skilled workforce, particularly in biomanufacturing and film production. The initiative exemplifies how community colleges can collaborate with industry and government to address workforce demands and prepare students for high-paying jobs. Additionally, the University of Hawaiʻi is innovating workforce development with its “Life Design Thinking” program, empowering students with essential career readiness skills through hands-on workshops. These various initiatives reflect a growing trend among community colleges to focus on career readiness and workforce alignment.