Community college leaders in New Jersey have highlighted the essential role their institutions play in the state's educational framework. In an op-ed published on NJ.com, they emphasized the importance of community colleges as accessible education providers and catalysts for economic mobility.
Aaron Fichtner, President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC), along with Maria Heidkamp, NJCCC Chief Innovation & Policy Officer, and Michael Gorman, NJCCC Board of Presidents Chair, stated: “Committed to equity, our community colleges are driven by our unique role as anti-poverty, pro-economic mobility engines.”
The op-ed underscores how New Jersey's 18 community colleges support vital industries by supplying a skilled workforce. These sectors include health care, technology, infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing, film and television production, and renewable energy.
The authors wrote: “Through our Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, we have become the agile institutions best able to reflect the labor market priorities of our counties and regions, and to support our state’s overarching economic development goals.”
This discussion comes ahead of a conference sponsored by the Sweeney Center for Public Policy and Rowan College of Education. Titled "Restructuring Higher Education in New Jersey: Thirty Years of Change, Future Challenges," it is scheduled for October 15. The event will be free for both in-person and virtual participants.
