Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) has initiated a collaborative effort with 13 other community colleges to establish the Center for Workforce Innovation. This initiative, supported by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC), aims to equip students with essential "soft skills" that are increasingly valued in today's job market.
The Essential Learning, General Education, and Career Readiness Center for Workforce Innovation was officially launched at RVCC during an event attended by 113 faculty and staff from 14 community colleges across New Jersey. Niesha Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Career Readiness at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), served as the keynote speaker.
The event on November 8 included workshops focusing on NACE’s Career Competency Approach. Sessions covered topics such as “Integrating Career Competencies into the Curriculum” and “Connecting Career Competencies into Assignments and the Student Experience.”
Karen H. Bearce, Ph.D., RVCC Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, explained the motivation behind creating the new Pathways to Career Initiative. “Colleges are hearing over and over again from employers and industry partners that in addition to job-related skills, employees need to possess ‘soft skills’ or ‘durable skills,’” Bearce said. She added that while students might understand how General Education courses relate to their majors, they often do not see how these courses connect to career-readiness and lifelong learning.
At the RVCC event, community college faculty members had the opportunity to work with Dr. Taylor in examining General Education courses through a career competency lens. They also reviewed their syllabi assessment processes to enhance student success in career competency learning.
The CWI Pathways to Career Initiative aims to align learning outcomes of General Education courses with career-readiness skills, provide students with tools for developing these skills throughout their education experience, and engage faculty in workshops designed to create valuable learning experiences.
NJCCC supports New Jersey’s community colleges by fostering collaboration among them and developing solutions that expand access to education, promote equity and student success, and contribute to workforce development.
Raritan Valley Community College has been serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over five decades as an academic and cultural hub. It offers around 90 associate degrees and certificates along with various career training programs.
