Workforce Development Institute to open in July

MOUNT LAUREL Rowan College at Burlington County in Mount Laurel will open its Workforce Development Institute in July as part of an effort to better match the skills of local students and job-seekers with the needs of local employers, college officials said Thursday.

The primary goal of the institute is to provide the necessary tools to build an education around the careers of today and tomorrow.

"This institute will bring together all of our economic workforce development programs and services from many agencies, both public and private, to better and more effectively prepare our students and job-seekers for the job market," said Kate Gibbs, a member of the Rowan College at Burlington County board of trustees and the economic advisory panel for the Workforce Development Initiative.

Two divisions of the new institute, "focusing on business outreach, educational programs, and grant services, will be up and running" in July, said Paul Drayton, president of the college. "This will streamline our economic development services throughout the county, helping to close the gap between employers and job-seekers. ...

"The Workforce Development Institute represents a monumental step forward in how we build curriculums and train job-seekers for better-paying, high-demand jobs available right here in Burlington County," Drayton added. "We will prove to be a model for the rest of the country on how various workforce development agencies can work together to break down barriers and build up careers and businesses."

The institute "will create the perfect alignment among educators, economic development resources, and the private sector that we need to grow our businesses and create good jobs," said Daniel J. Caldwell of Stout & Caldwell Engineers & Surveyors, who serves as chair of the economic advisory panel.

Creating the institute has taken "a lot of work and planning, said Gibbs.

"Working closely with our partners from both the public and private sector, we have transformed the way institutions of higher learning and county government provide workforce and economic development resources and services," she said.

"For the first time, services for employers and job-seekers will be integrated, allowing us to better serve both groups and enabling us to more effectively match the needs of job creators with the skills and training of future employees."

The effort "began two years ago, with state and federal laws just now catching up and recognizing our innovative approach is the best way forward," said Drayton. "In this way, the Rowan College at Burlington County Workforce Development Institute will truly serve as a model for the nation."

Businesses seeking access to the business and training services can contact the college's director of development, Leah Arter, at larter@bcc.edu or 856-222-9311, Ext. 2545.

- Edward Colimore