New Jersey's Economic Growth Strategy, released in fall of 2006, identified a series of steps the state will take to build a world-class workforce. To support this effort, the Heldrich Center has been commissioned to conduct research on the workforce needs of the state's key industries: biopharmaceuticals, finance, and information/communications. This research, guided by newly created Industry Workforce Advisory Groups, will use an analysis of all available data and extensive interviews with employers to determine the current and future workforce needs of the state's industries, identify the skills needed by industries, identify regional concentrations of workforce needs, and identify workforce challenges faced by the industries. The Heldrich Center will work closely with the State of New Jersey to develop an education and training strategy for each industry.

Also as part of Ready for the Job III, the Heldrich Center is updating previously completed research on the workforce and skill needs of the construction and hospitality industries and conducting research on the skill requirements of telecommuting and home-based businesses. Finally, the Heldrich Center will also provide technical assistance to New Jersey-based Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career Centers in the use of industry workforce data and information. The first reports from Ready for the Job III were drafted in the summer of 2007.

Conducted for the New State Employment and Training Commission and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.