North Jersey Partners (NJP), in partnership with the Employers Association of New Jersey (EANJ), commissioned research from Rutgers-VTC to better understand the workforce development and technical assistance needs of small and mid-sized employers in New Jersey. These organizations have been identified as the largest employers of New Jersey workers. However, employers have reported facing skills shortages that have impacted their ability to do business. In addition, the emergence of COVID-19 as a public health and economic crisis has caused an immense strain on employers and workers. To better understand these challenges, the research team completed a literature review, an online survey, and virtual focus groups with the following research objectives: understand existing workforce development practices among small and mid-sized employers in New Jersey; identify the challenges that employers face and the types of resources that they need to find, retain, and train their workforce; understand the perception of apprenticeship programs amongst employers, and understand the impacts of the COVID-19 health and economic crisis on employers. This report summarizes the results of this research and provides key considerations that may assist workforce development professionals and policymakers in developing resources for workforce training, recruitment, and the economic recovery of small and mid-sized employers in the state.

View the final report:

Understanding the Workforce Development Needs of Small and Mid-Sized New Jersey Employers