34:15D-21.2 Findings, declarations relative to the basic skills training program.

2. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. A skilled workforce is one of the most critical issues to New Jersey businesses and the State's economic competitiveness, and, unfortunately, the basic computer, mathematics, communications and English skills of many New Jersey workers is less than what employers require for success;

b. In 2007, a public-private partnership formed between the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development, and the New Jersey Business and Industry Association to provide basic skills training with more flexibility to businesses throughout the State by means of a grant from the Supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills;

c. During the first two years of this training program, 750 employers sent almost 10,000 enrollees to be trained, significantly more than any other single New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development grant program;

d. This program was successful in reaching so many more workers and businesses because of its flexibility, in not requiring employers to complete any paperwork or financial disclosure, not charging them for the training, other than requiring that they pay their employees while they are trained, and not requiring every class to have a minimum of ten employees from a single employer;

e. Credit for this flexibility and the program's success should be given to Governor Jon S. Corzine, Commissioner David J. Socolow and the grant staff at the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, because they understood that the focus of this grant should be on training as many workers as possible and not on fitting within previous grant structures and traditions, and without them, 750 businesses would not have been helped and 10,000 enrollees would not have been trained;

f. This program has been positive for all those involved: the employees receiving portable training and skills; the employers improving their workforce; the community colleges being optimally utilized to provide the most effective and efficient method of training; and the State positively contributing to workers, businesses and economic development with no new costs; and

g. Legislation is needed to ensure that the success of this program and the flexibilities afforded it by the Governor and commissioner are made permanent in the statutes.

L.2009, c.199, s.2.