Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University

In the latest episode of “Work Trends RU,” host Dr. Carl Van Horn speaks with Margo Chaly, Acting Secretary of the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, about the future of higher education in New Jersey. They discuss key challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities, including enrollment trends, financial sustainability, workforce alignment, and student success. Ms. Chaly also highlights efforts to support adult learners, strengthen institutions, and ensure students graduate with the skills and career pathways needed to thrive in a changing economy.

Listen on our podcast page:

https://heldrich.rutgers.edu/podcasts/margo-chaly-of-the-new-jersey-office-of-the-secretary-of-higher-education/

Or on our YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/dYBm71OYZX8?si=3NFXj6EGPLZEJFsk

What does the future of higher education in New Jersey look like?

In the latest episode of “Work Trends RU,” host Dr. Carl Van Horn speaks with Margo Chaly, Acting Secretary of the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, about the challenges and opportunities shaping colleges and universities across the state.

Their conversation explores enrollment trends, financial sustainability, workforce alignment, and student success. Ms. Chaly also discusses efforts to support adult learners, strengthen higher education institutions, and help students build the skills and career pathways needed to succeed in a rapidly changing economy.

Listen on our podcast page:

https://heldrich.rutgers.edu/podcasts/margo-chaly-of-the-new-jersey-office-of-the-secretary-of-higher-education/

Or on our YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/dYBm71OYZX8?si=3NFXj6EGPLZEJFsk

As more adults pursue nondegree pathways for skill development and career advancement, and with the enactment of Workforce Pell in July 2025, which authorizes Pell Grants for training programs as short as 150 hours or eight weeks, the need for clear definitions and reliable data on noncredit education has become increasingly important. Establishing a standardized system will be key to turning these data into actionable information that helps New Jersey maximize the benefits of Workforce Pell.

“Noncredit Education in New Jersey: Definitions, Data Systems, and Workforce Pell Readiness,” a new research report from the New Jersey Statewide Data System (NJSDS):

> Explores how national agencies, institutions, and research organizations define noncredit education;

> Examines New Jersey’s noncredit education data infrastructure, including reporting practices, ongoing initiatives, and opportunities for enhancement or extension;

> Assesses New Jersey’s readiness for Workforce Pell;

> Highlights promising practices from other states; and

> Offers recommendations to strengthen New Jersey’s approach.

The report was written by Ann Obadan, Ph.D., Iman Basit, and Kristine Joy Bacani.

Read the report:

https://go.rutgers.edu/928d27s7

In the latest episode of “Work Trends RU,” host Dr. Carl Van Horn speaks with Margo Chaly, Acting Secretary of the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, about the future of higher education in New Jersey. They discuss key challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities, including enrollment trends, financial sustainability, workforce alignment, and student success. Ms. Chaly also highlights efforts to support adult learners, strengthen institutions, and ensure students graduate with the skills and career pathways needed to thrive in a changing economy.

Listen on our podcast page:

https://heldrich.rutgers.edu/podcasts/margo-chaly-of-the-new-jersey-office-of-the-secretary-of-higher-education/

Or on our YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/dYBm71OYZX8?si=3NFXj6EGPLZEJFsk

New research from the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, with funding from the New Jersey State Policy Lab, explores how public AI initiatives can better support small businesses in New Jersey. The blog post by Sofia Cacchione, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Heldrich Center, examines the opportunities AI presents for improving efficiency, customer engagement, innovation, and decision-making, while also highlighting persistent barriers such as limited financial resources, technology skills gaps, infrastructure challenges, and concerns about privacy and bias. The research also underscores the need for targeted investments and inclusive policies to ensure women- and minority-owned businesses can fully benefit from AI adoption. Read more about the evolving relationship between small businesses, AI, and public policy here:

https://policylab.rutgers.edu/publication/overview-of-the-literature-on-ai-and-small-businesses/

The Heldrich Center is proud to announce its Distinguished Leadership Awards. Founded in 2016 and named in honor of the late John J. Heldrich, Johnson & Johnson executive and civic and community leader, the awards recognize and honor the accomplishments and achievements of individuals, businesses, community organizations, and philanthropy to the field of workforce development. The awards ceremony took place on April 23, 2026. Watch a video showcasing highlights from the ceremony:

https://youtu.be/ccDpZSz4CCY?si=RAt3V0UJdCVkkha4

The 2026 honorees are:

> Thomas Bracken, President and CEO, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce - Outstanding leadership of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades

> Patricia Campos-Medina, Ph.D., Executive Director, Worker Institute, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University - Outstanding leadership supporting workers, unions, and students, and public service in New Jersey and the nation

> Data Quality Campaign - Leadership in advancing the effective use of high-quality data to improve education, workforce, and economic opportunities

> Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges - Outstanding leadership of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Director of Research and Evaluation at the Heldrich Center

> New Jersey Chamber of Commerce - Exceptional commitment to supporting programs that prepare a well-trained and educated workforce

> New Jersey Council of County Colleges - In recognition of the county colleges' central role in preparing students and adults for successful careers

“At a time when the workforce is undergoing rapid change, it is especially important to highlight leaders who are advancing innovative solutions and expanding access to education and training,” shared Carl Van Horn, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University and Director of the Heldrich Center. “This year’s honorees exemplify the kind of forward-thinking leadership that helps workers and employers succeed. Their leadership reflects the values that John J. Heldrich championed throughout his career.”

It is with deep sadness that we announce that Stuart Andreason, Ph.D., a member of the Heldrich Center’s National Advisory Board, has passed away.

In recent years, Stuart has been serving as Executive Director of Programs at the Burning Glass Institute. Previously, he was the Founding Director of the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and a Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Institute for Urban Research. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Stuart has been a longtime partner and ally of the Heldrich Center, collaborating with our researchers and staff on research projects, conferences, podcasts, books, and articles with the Federal Reserve. He has been a constant source of knowledge, encouragement, and wisdom for our faculty, researchers, staff, and students. We will miss him deeply and send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

A new blog post and case study from Coleridge highlight how New Jersey has built one of the nation’s most comprehensive cross-agency data systems, allowing the state to track outcomes from K–12 education through employment.

Historically, state agencies operated in silos: education tracked graduation rates, higher education monitored enrollment, and workforce agencies managed employment data. But no single system could answer a fundamental question: Are students finding good careers?

Through the New Jersey Statewide Data System, the state now links data across K–12 education, higher education, workforce programs, and Unemployment Insurance records. NJSDS enables policymakers to follow individuals from early education into the labor market.

New Jersey’s approach offers a model for other states seeking to move beyond proxy measures like test scores and toward real indicators of success — whether students secure stable, well-paying jobs.

Read the blog post:

https://coleridge.us/news/case-study-newjersey

Read the case study:
https://coleweb.cdn.prismic.io/coleweb/afIazsBOoF08xbDH_ColeridgeNJCaseStudy–4.28.26FINAL.pdf

The New Jersey Statewide Data System (NJSDS) presents the first release of the New Jersey State Financial Aid Outcomes Dashboard, developed by Heldrich Center researchers Kirsten Meidlinger and Khudodod Khudododov, Ph.D.

The dashboard shows outcomes calculated by linking longitudinal higher education data from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and wage data from the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development to longitudinal financial aid receipt data from the HESAA, New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Outcomes show the educational attainment of full-time, degree-seeking students pursuing higher education in New Jersey who receive state-funded aid, including persistence, transfer rate, and graduation rate, as well as employment outcomes for graduates. Outcomes are grouped by students’ first-time enrollment year. A student is considered a recipient of a given aid program if they received aid at any point while pursuing their degree. Students who receive more than one state-funded aid package are counted in outcomes for each program for which they received aid.

Dashboard highlights:

> The proportion of students who receive any New Jersey state financial aid while pursuing associate degrees full time has increased over time.

> On average, full-time students pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree who receive New Jersey financial aid are more likely to persist into their second year than those who do not receive any state-funded aid.

> Full-time students pursuing associate degrees are more likely to complete their degrees if they receive any state-funded aid.

> Both associate and bachelor’s graduates who received any state-funded aid are more likely to find employment after graduation than graduates who do not receive any state-funded aid.

Explore the New Jersey Financial Aid Outcomes Dashboard at the link below. Click on one of the six boxes at the top of the dashboard to view different outcomes. Filters are provided at the top of each tab to change selection options by first-time enrollment year, aid program, degree type, and other characteristics.

https://go.rutgers.edu/financialaidoutcomes