As more adults pursue nondegree pathways for skill development and career advancement, and with the enactment of Workforce Pell in July 2025, which authorizes Pell Grants for training programs as short as 150 hours or eight weeks, the need for clear definitions and...
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Van Horn Quoted in CNBC Story on Long-Term Unemployment
Long-term unemployment can have lasting consequences for workers, families, and the economy. In a recent CNBC story, Heldrich Center Director Carl Van Horn discusses the growing challenge of long-term unemployment and its hidden costs. Read or listen to the story.
Laying the Groundwork for Aligning New Jersey’s AI Initiatives with Entrepreneurial Needs
In a new blog post, Heldrich Center Research Project Assistant Lily McFarland outlines early findings from a project with the New Jersey State Policy Lab examining how New Jersey’s public AI initiatives can better align with the needs of small businesses. She...
New Law Establishes New Jersey Statewide Data System at the Heldrich Center
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Law Establishes New Jersey Statewide Data System at the Heldrich Center Legislation Formalizes a Secure, Statewide Data Platform to Strengthen Education and Workforce Policy New Brunswick, New Jersey — January 26, 2026 — The John J. Heldrich...
New Jersey State Policy Lab Publishes Blog Post by Liana Lin
How are New Jersey’s small businesses — especially minority- and women-owned firms — perceiving and adopting artificial intelligence (AI)? A New Jersey State Policy Lab blog post by Liana Lin, Research Project Manager at the Heldrich Center, previews a research study...
Van Horn Quoted in New AARP Story
Carl Van Horn was interviewed for an AARP story about whether older job seekers should pay for assistance with their job search. He suggests that older job seekers instead seek support from colleagues, associates, and friends. Van Horn is Director of the Heldrich...
New Multi-State Teacher Workforce Report Now Available
A new Multi-State Teacher Workforce Report from the New Jersey Statewide Data System, developed in partnership with the Rhode Island Longitudinal Data System, provides a comprehensive, data-driven view of the educator pipeline. By addressing a longstanding challenge...
Updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report Released
The New Jersey Statewide Data System is pleased to announce the release of an updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report, linking postsecondary completion data to employment outcomes across Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia. This effort...
Hetling Interviewed for Article About SNAP Restrictions in New Jersey
Andrea Hetling, Ph.D. was recently interviewed for an NJ.com article examining new Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) restrictions in New Jersey. She discusses SNAP recipients and the varied reasons they require public assistance. Dr. Hetling is a...
Van Horn and Wowkanech Appointed to New Jersey Gubernatorial Transition Committee
Mikie Sherrill, Governor-Elect of the State of New Jersey, has appointed Carl Van Horn, Ph.D., to serve as Co-Chair of her transition’s Jobs and Prosperity Committee. In addition, Heldrich Center National Advisory Board member Charles Wowkanech has been appointed as...
Kevin Dehmer Guests on Special “Back to School” Episode of “Work Trends RU” Podcast Series
Join us for a special "Back to School" episode of the “Work Trends RU” podcast series, featuring New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. Commissioner Dehmer discusses: The major challenges, innovations, and achievements in New Jersey’s public...
Renée Edwards Co-Authors New Journal Articles on Workers with Disabilities and Job Satisfaction
Renée Edwards, Ph.D., Assistant Director at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development and Managing Director of the Employer Disability Practices Center, is the co-author of two recently published journal articles: "Disability, Job Satisfaction, and Workplace...
Building a Comparison Group for Tuition Aid Grant Recipients Using the New Jersey Statewide Data System
A new report from the New Jersey Statewide Data System examines the effect of the New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant program on college graduation. Researchers from the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, analyzed the...
Van Horn Interviewed About Efforts to Prepare Students for Success
Carl Van Horn, Ph.D. was interviewed for a recent article about how industry leaders, colleges, and universities are collaborating to prepare students for success. The article appeared in the online magazine, Jersey’s Best. Van Horn discussed the mission of the...
Monitoring New Jersey’s Postsecondary Attainment Goal Using the New Jersey Statewide Data System
In 2017, in response to the demand for a highly skilled workforce, New Jersey set a goal to increase the proportion of its state residents with a postsecondary credential to 65% by 2025. The initiative aims to strengthen the economy through increased access to...
The Labor Market: Then and Now Webinar
A recent webinar featured authors Nyerere Hodge, Stuart Andreason, Ph.D., and Carl Van Horn, Ph.D., discussing their analysis of the 21st-century labor market as presented in the three-part series Then and Now. The webinar examined measures of economic mobility and...
Examining the Benefits of Education in New Jersey
Examining the Benefits of Education in New Jersey utilizes data from the New Jersey Statewide Data System along with the National Student Clearinghouse extract, AlumniFinder data, and, when available, data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the New...
Unlocking Potential: Key Lessons from Kessler Foundation’s Signature Grants on Employment for People with Disabilities
White paper explores the successes and challenges faced by 21 national programs offering training, career development, and job opportunities for people with disabilities.
New Jersey’s Energy-Efficiency Workforce Needs, Infrastructure, and Equity Assessment
Presents findings and recommendations from a study designed to better understand and document community needs and areas for growth in training, recruiting, hiring, and retaining students, trainees, and workers for New Jersey’s energy-efficiency workforce.
Recent Media Coverage and Presentations
News story about recent media coverage of Heldrich Center research and recent presentations by center researchers.




















