Why should voters support the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act in Tuesday’s election? As NJBIA’s Michele Siekerka explains in this Star Ledger op-ed, it’s all about skilled workers.
“New Jersey has a critical skills gap that is leaving good-paying jobs unfilled, while the growing demand for career and technical education far exceeds space available for interested students,” she writes. “But we now have a great opportunity to help bridge that disconnect.”
Among the points she emphasizes:
- manufacturers have more than 30,000 unfilled technical jobs;
- vacant tech jobs hold back our economy;
- vocational-technical schools and county colleges will be able to meet the demand for these skilled workers if the bond act is approved; and
- the technical skills at issue can provide for careers that do not require a four-year college degree.
“The Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act will provide $350 million for much-needed expansion of career and technical shops, labs and classrooms at county vocational-technical schools, as well as enhanced security at New Jersey schools,” Siekerka says.
