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Chrissy Buteas
Chief Government Affairs Officer
NJBIA members must have access to a well-trained and educated workforce. This is why education and workforce development is so critical. Our most recent Business Outlook Survey shows entry-level employees generally lack employability skills. These skills include writing, verbal communication, critical thinking and time management. There is also a technical skills gap, particularly in manufacturing.
In 2018 NJBIA released The Education Equation: Strategies for Retaining and Attracting New Jersey’s Future Workforce. It outlines strategies to prepare New Jersey’s future workforce. It also focuses attention on building a dynamic brand for New Jersey higher education and how to build career readiness standards into all curriculum of K-16 education.
NJBIA works with academia, government and our members to ensure that programs are developed and implemented. These programs strengthen the state’s workforce pipeline and closes the existing skills gap. Thanks to these efforts, several programs have already been implemented.
If you have questions, please contact Chrissy Buteas at cbuteas@njbia.org.
Committee MeetingsNJBIA testified in support of legislation on Wednesday that would encourage the creation of K-12 regional and countywide districts to improve educational opportunities for students and provide much-needed property tax savings for local taxpayers. The bill, A-5537, sponsored by Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-3), was released by the Assembly Education Committee. The legislation is part of […]
On behalf of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, the nation’s largest statewide business association whose members employ over one million people in New Jersey, please accept our testimony in support of Senate Bill No. 3033. We very much appreciate the sponsor’s efforts to provide funding for small businesses in order for them to address the […]
On Thursday, NJBIA testified in support of legislation that would grant immunity from liability to institutions of higher education and certain employees for damages resulting from COVID-19. But in speaking before the Assembly Higher Education Committee, NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Ray Cantor also sought amendments to bill A-4408 to broaden its reach to […]
An Assembly committee has approved two bills supported by NJBIA that provide $249 million for career vocational and technical education from the Securing Our Children’s Future Fund. The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday released A-5888 (DeAngelo/Armato/Quijano), which appropriates $26.4 million for Career and Technical Education (CTE) at nine county colleges. The committee also released A-5889 […]
NJBIA supported a bill on Thursday that commits $3 million from the state Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills to the NJBIA Basic Skills Training Program, administered through the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. Bill S-793, sponsored by Senator Sandra Cunningham (D-31), was unanimously released by the Senate Labor Committee. […]
Senate President Steve Sweeney on Friday introduced a bill, strongly supported by NJBIA, that would provide tax credits to businesses that employ the developmentally disabled. The legislation would allow a credit against corporation business tax liability or gross income tax liability of 10% of the salary and wages paid to an employee with a developmental […]
By joining a NJBIA Policy Committee, you are a member of a select group of members from many different businesses who share a common interest in a particular area of concern.
