New Jersey Senate Bill 1957 Supporting New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) Effort to Grow Manufacturing Jobs Receives 100% Support from the Senate Labor Committee

CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- During the Senate Labor Committee hearing this morning, Senate Bill 1957 received 100% support from the Senate Labor Committee.  The Bill was introduced to the Senate on February 25, 2020, and a companion Bill was introduced in the Assembly on March 16, 2020.

The Bill calls for $1.5 million of already allocated DOL Workforce Development funds to be dedicated to the Workforce Development Partnership Fund reserved to support this initiative to train unemployed and underemployed workers for jobs in manufacturing.  This initiative is designed to stimulate job growth ? especially in underserved communities, including to industries re-engineering to make PPEs and to help domesticate the New Jersey supply chain in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic activities.   The program will be led by NJMEP, which has plans to use these funds to open a southern New Jersey operation to make sure this training and jobs program is equally effective throughout the state.

"One of the reasons I'm fortunate to serve as the CEO of NJMEP is because of days like today, when we can move forward, in a bipartisan way, with Senate Labor Committee approval on Bill 1957. This bill provides strong support for NJMEP which has important impacts in New Jersey. Approval from the Senate Labor Committee is the beginning of the planning for a broader manufacturing strategy which includes NJMEP, to ensure our state is more competitive in the global market, and that we're doing everything we can to help our local manufacturers grow and create jobs," said John W. Kennedy, CEO, NJMEP.

Next step in the process will be for Senate Bill 1957 to go to the Senate Floor and then on to the Assembly to be voted upon. 

About NJMEP: NJMEP is a private, not?for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $4.16 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact.

SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program