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P3 – and $1M from J&J – power gene therapy workforce development in NJ
Matthew Fazelpoor//February 4, 2025//
Officials gathered Feb. 4, 2025, at Raritan Valley Community College to mark the launch of NJBioFutures – a public-private partnership aimed at creating a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline to support the state’s rapidly expanding cell and gene therapeutics sector. - MATTHEW FAZELPOOR/NJBIZ
Officials gathered Feb. 4, 2025, at Raritan Valley Community College to mark the launch of NJBioFutures – a public-private partnership aimed at creating a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline to support the state’s rapidly expanding cell and gene therapeutics sector. - MATTHEW FAZELPOOR/NJBIZ
P3 – and $1M from J&J – power gene therapy workforce development in NJ
Matthew Fazelpoor//February 4, 2025//
Listen to this articleOfficials gathered Tuesday at Raritan Valley Community College to mark the launch of NJBioFutures.
The public-private partnership aims to create a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline to support the state’s rapidly expanding cell and gene therapeutics sector.
While the industry is growing exponentially, it also faces a shortage of skilled workers to support this expansion.
The design of this new program seeks to help solve that challenge. NJBioFutures brings together experts from education, government and industry as well as community stakeholders to offer differentiated programs, state-of-the-art facilities and industry-responsive curricula to help build a pipeline in this space.
Johnson & Johnson serves as NJBioFutures founding sponsor, with a $1 million contribution.
With the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) playing a key stakeholder role in the initiative, Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC), Middlesex College (MC) and Mercer County Community College (MCCC) will provide short- and-long-term training and certification programs on cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing, biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals.
Local commitments, local impact
“Johnson & Johnson‘s role as the Founding Sponsor of NJBioFutures reinforces our commitment to economic and workforce development in New Jersey and will provide more pathways into good-paying, high-demand jobs in an emerging life sciences sector that keeps New Jersey at the forefront of health innovation,” said Joaquin Duato, chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson, at the event.
NJCCC President Aaron Fichtner said he is proud of the ecosystem of educators and industry partners established under the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative, which he noted served as the foundation for NJBioFutures.
“Through NJBioFutures, the public-private partnership between New Jersey’s community colleges and the life sciences industry, a pipeline of talent will be educated and trained to address the state’s workforce needs in the rapidly evolving life sciences and biomanufacturing sectors,” said Fichtner.
“The NJBioFutures collaboration between Raritan Valley, Middlesex and Mercer County community colleges and industry partners represents the very best in public-private partnerships,” said RVCC President Michael McDonough. “We are deeply grateful to Johnson & Johnson for its visionary leadership and financial support.”
‘The future is … right here’
“I am proud to see Johnson & Johnson and our leading community colleges partnering on this monumental workforce development coalition,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a press release.
First Lady Tammy Murphy spoke at the Feb. 4 event. She stressed bringing the Garden State back into the innovation spotlight as a primary goal of the administration.
Greetings from @raritanvalleycc as officials announce NJ Bio Futures initiative- a public/private partnership between NJ Community Colleges, @JNJNews, NJ and more – aimed at shaping the future of NJ’s bio manufacturing and life sciences workforce. More to come @NJBIZ pic.twitter.com/mVGTPFOWiB
— Matt Fazelpoor (@MattyFazNJ) February 4, 2025
“And thanks to the help of our many partners in state government and the private sector, our state’s innovation – and life sciences – industry is flourishing,” said Tammy Murphy. “The future of groundbreaking discoveries is right here in New Jersey with public-private partnerships like NJBioFutures. I look forward to the benefits this program will bring to our students and our entire state.”
“It is truly an honor to be here with you today as we celebrate the launch of an exciting new chapter in workforce development in New Jersey,” said Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo during the event. “We’re not just marking the beginning of a new program – we’re embarking on a journey to transform lives.”
