Construction Management

The Center of Workforce Innovation for Construction is focused on two distinct pathways: (1) Construction Management and (2) Utilities (Constructions, Maintenance, and Operations). The Construction and Utilities industries are well established in New Jersey. However, this industry has an aging workforce and a critical need to attract a qualified and diverse talent pipeline. Additionally, substantial growth is expected with the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act under which New Jersey is slated to receive more than $12 billion to address critical infrastructure needs.  

The first pathway, Construction Management, provides multiple onramps to career pathways. Beginning with high school students, the pathway aligns dual enrollment courses and an early college option aligned to Hudson County Community College’s (HCCC) Construction Management AAS. The Center also developed a one-year Academic Certificate which provides stackable credits to the Construction Management AAS degree. Prior Learning Assessments of industry valued credentials including three NICET certifications and seven building trades unions’ apprenticeship curriculum on a course-to-course basis to determine course equivalencies and the awarding of credits toward the Construction Management AAS degree.  

The second pathway, Utilities (Constructions, Maintenance, and Operations), has a strong focus on adult programs. Contextualized learning for adult English language learners and high school equivalency programs were developed. Existing adult program non-credit courses were aligned for credit and construction and utilities trades academic certificates were developed. Working with the same building trades unions as the Construction Management pathway, apprenticeship curriculum was evaluated through Rowan College of South Jersey’s Prior Learning Assessment for credit. All provide stackable credits toward the Technical Studies AAS degree.  

The Center acknowledged the importance of articulation agreements with other education institutions and the advantages those partnerships provide students. Both pathways include articulation opportunities. A model 1+1 agreement was developed to enable Community Colleges around the state to offer the Construction Management AAS degree. 2+2 articulation agreements were established to provide Bachelor of Science (BS) options for Construction Management AAS degree holders with two different 4-year institutions: (1) Thomas Edison State University’s Construction BS and (2) Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Construction Engineering Technology BS. Additionally, a 2+2 articulation agreement was established to seamlessly articulate the Technical Studies AAS degree to a Bachelor of Arts in Construction Management at Rowan University.  

 Finally, the Center recognized the need for Career and Technical Education instructors at Community Colleges. A train-the-trainer program was created to prepare experienced technical/trades professionals to teach non-credit programs at Community Colleges statewide.