The college’s Workforce Development Institute will oversee a Transportation, Logistics and Distribution Talent Development Center.
According to officials at Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC), The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has selected RCBC’s Workforce Development Institute to oversee the state’s Transportation, Logistics & Distribution Talent Development Center.
RCBC officials say the college will receive $1.2 million to serve as a center of excellence in the transportation, logistics and distribution industry sector. The center will create new career pathways and provide for training for people to advance in this growing field.
“Our Workforce Development Institute has developed partnerships with some of the region’s leading employers that have led to new training programs and high-paying careers for residents in Burlington County,” said RCBC acting president Michael Cioce. “This grant provides the opportunity to build upon our success and develop a statewide training program to fill the demand for skilled workers in transportation, logistics and distribution.”
According to the college, talent development centers are charged with expanding high-quality, employer-driven partnerships that involve businesses, high schools, universities, labor unions and workforce development boards. The centers focus on providing credential-focused education and training that leads to industry-recognized credentials and articulation to college credit.
“We are proud to partner with our state’s higher education institutions and trust that their knowledge and infrastructure will be able to expand career pathways and apprenticeships that integrate classroom and work-based learning leading to an industry-valued credential,” said New Jersey Labor Commissioner Aaron Fichtner.
According to officials, RCBC’s Workforce Development Institute launched a new transportation, logistics and distribution training program in 2016 that led to new jobs for over 75 percent of program graduates.
“Transportation, logistics and distribution is a growth industry in our region, and there are not enough skilled workers to meet the market’s demand,” said Anna Payanzo Cotton, RCBC vice president of workforce development and lifelong learning. “We are excited to meet this challenge of increasing the number of workers who are certified for careers in in this industry and keep Burlington County at the forefront of this growing field.”
