NJBIA testified in support of legislation on Thursday that would require school performance reports to include information about the placement of graduates in any postsecondary capacity, including apprenticeships.
Bill S-1421 (Singleton, D-7; Bucco, R-25) was unanimously released by the Senate Education Committee.
“Currently the school performance report is not required to have this important information, even though student outcomes like graduation and dropout rates are included,” said NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Althea D. Ford.“Because there is such great value in these workforce development opportunities for students, it’s appropriate that they are represented and acknowledged on school performance reports. We thank the sponsors for their support of this bill.”
NJBIA has long been a supporter of apprenticeships, claiming them as a major benefit to both businesses and future workers. Through its collaboration with the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, and in its Education Equation reports, NJBIA has prioritized postsecondary educational experiences.
Since 2018, the Murphy administration has invested $50 million in developing apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and work-based programs, contributing to the creation of 622 new Registered Apprenticeship programs.
“Apprenticeships provide unique opportunities for young people to enter the workforce with a competitive income, without having to endure the costs of higher education,” Ford said. “The more schools can provide these opportunities for students to successfully develop their workforce skills, the more they should be acknowledged for their proactivity.”
As part of its continuing workforce development efforts, NJBIA is hosting a free virtual meeting to help employers in funding postsecondary degrees and training for their employees on March 7. More information can be found here.
