>>> FUNDING FOR NJ "BUSINESS BEAT" IS FUNDED BY NJ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS A FUNDING FORCE THAT IS FUNDING PROGRAMS LIKE THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS SCIENCE.

WE ARE STEPS AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE IN NEW JERSEY CITY AND WALL STREET.

LEARN MORE AT NJCU.COM/GAME CHANGER.

>>> THIS WEEK ON "BUSINESS BEAT" SEEKING SOLUTIONS FOR RISING INFLATION.

THE PRESIDENT MEETS WITH THE FED CHAIR TO CURB SKYROCKETING PRICES.

PLUS, BRINGING THE FUTURE INTO OUR SCHOOLS.

ONE LAWMAKER'S PUSH TO IMPROVE YOUR KID'S S.T.E.M.

EDUCATION.

>>> PLUS, WE PUT THE LABOR MARKET'S FOCUS AND HOW TO FILL JOB OPPORTUNITY, AND HOW EMPLOYERS ARE GETTING CREATIVE TO FILL JOB OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT IS AHEAD ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

>>> THIS IS "NJ BUSINESS BEATS" WITH RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

>>> HELLO, I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEATS."

IF YOU ARE WATCHING ON YOUTUBE, SUBSCRIBE TO YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET ALERT FOR THE LATEST CLICKS.

A PAINFUL REMINDER THAT YOUR MONEY IS NOT GOING AS FAR AS IT USED TO.

IF YOU WERE OUT RUNNING ERRANDS MAYBE YOU HAD A PAINFUL REMINDER OF THE GAS PRICES OR IF YOU WERE AT THE GROCERY STORE, YOU ARE REMINDED OF THE RISING PRICES.

EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT INFLATION, BUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE ABOUT ITT?

THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT BIDEN MET WITH THE TOP ECONOMIC OFFICIALS INCLUDING FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR JEROME POWELL TO DISCUSS WHAT CAN BE DONE TO BRING THE PRICES DOWN FASTER.

IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT SOME EFFORTS TO CONTAIN INFLATION HAVE FAILED.

FOR INSTANCE, PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DECISION IN THE SPRING TO RELEASE THE OIL FROM STRATEGIC RESERVES HAS NOT LED TO LOWER GAS PRICES.

SINCE THEN, THE FEDERAL RESERVE HAS BEEN RAISING THE INTEREST RATES TO TRY TO COOL INFLATION.

THE WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIC ADVISER BRIAN DIENST SAYS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS PUTTING THE FAITH IN THE FED'S ABILITY TO TAME INFLATION WITHOUT HARMING THE ECONOMY.

>> WHAT WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT IN IS THAT WE CAN APPROACH THIS CHALLENGE AND WE CAN FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON BRINGING INFLATION DOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO SACRIFICE ALL OF THE ECONOMIC GAINS THAT WE HAVE MADE BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE POSITION OF STRENGTH THAT WE ARE IN.

>> ONE SIGN OF A STRONG ECONOMY IS PLENTIFUL JOBS, BUT DATA OUT THIS WEEK ON THE JOB MARKET WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THE MIXED BAG.

ONE GOVERNMENT REPORT SHOWED THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF JOB OPENINGS, WHICH IS A POSITIVE, BUT A NEW SURVEY FROM THE NEW JERSEY-BASED ADP FOUND THAT COMPANIES ARE HIRING FEWER PEOPLE THAN THEY DID IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

THE MONTHLY ADP REPORT SHOWS THAT U.S. COMPANIES HIRED 128,000 NEW WORKERS IN MAY.

SMALL BUSINESSES DID NOT HIRE AT ALL, AND IN FACT, THEY CUT 91,000 PEOPLE FROM THE PAYROLL.

MAY'S REPORT WAS THE WEAKEST SHOWING SINCE THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC LOCKDOWNS IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

ONE SECTOR SEEING ENORMOUS GROWTH IS THE S.T.E.M.

SECTOR, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRONICS AND MATHMEMATICS.

AND HERE IS IN THE GARDEN STATE, THE SENATE MINORITY LEADERS ARE TRYING TO PUT YOUR KIDS ON A PATH TO SUCCESS THROUGH S.T.E.M.

EDUCATION.

I SPOKE TO SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY ABOUT HOW TO PUT NEW JERSEY ON THE RIGHT PATH.

WELCOME SENATOR.

>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

>> AND I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT S.T.E.M.

EDUCATION, AND YOU A PROPONENT OF IT AND YOU ESTABLISHED LAW THAT ESTABLISH ESTABLISHED A PILOT PROGRAM FOR ROBOTICS TO INCREASE S.T.E.M.

EDUCATION IN OUR STATE.

WHY IS THAT?

>> WE HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH A PANDEMIC, AND THE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTOOD SCIENCE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE MANUFACTURING, AND COME UP WITH THE RESEARCH, COME UP WITH THE VACCINE, AND COME UP WITH THE TESTING, AND NOW WE HAVE A WORKFORCE OF 11 MILLION JOBS IN THE COUNTRY THAT ARE NOT FILLED.

SO A LOT OF THOSE COULD OBVIOUSLY, AND MAY HAVE TO BE FILLED BY NEW TECHNOLOGY.

WHEN YOU ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THE TEAMS, THEY ARE SO -- I CAN'T TELL YOU, IT IS SO EXCITING.

WE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO -- IT IS NOT -- YOU KNOW, THEY ARE LEARNING ALL OF THESE KINDS OF THING, AND I'M LEARNING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THING, AND FRANKLY, IT IS SOMETHING COMPANIES AND ECONOMY NEEDS.

>> I CAN FEEL YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS COMING ACROSS THIS SCREEN HERE.

SENATOR, WHERE IS THE PROGRAM NOW IN TERMS OF HAS IT BEEN SET UP?

WHERE ALL IS THIS HAPPENING?

WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO LEARN THREE YEARS FROM NOW ONCE THE PILOT PROGRAM CONCLUDES?

>> IT IS A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT BY THE END OF YEAR ONE, PEOPLE WILL SEE HOW GOOD IT IS, BUT IT IS A THREE-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON THE GRAD APPLICATION PROCESS RIGHT NOW, AND THERE A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS GOING TO HAVE UP TO 12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SOME IN THE SOUTH AND CENTRAL AND NORTH, AND THEY ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR THE GRANTS.

>> SENATOR, YOU KNOW THAT WHILE I HAVE YOU, I'M GOING TO SNEAK IN A BUDGET QUESTION HERE, SO IT WILL HAVE TO DO WITH S.T.E.M.

EDUCATION.

DO WE ADEQUATELY FUND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MATH FUNDING IN THE STATE?

>> WELL, RHONDA, WE HAVE A LOT OF STATE FUNDING, AND IT IS UP TO EACH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS TO WHERE THE FUNDING GOES, BUT I THINK THAT NEW JERSEY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO EMPHASIZE S.T.E.M., SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRONICS AND MATHMEMATICS, AND ALSO I'M BIG ON THE PERFORMING ARTS AS WELL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO GET UP AND DEMONSTRATE IN FRONT OF OTHERS, YOU KNOW, CROWDS AND PEOPLE, THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO BE SUCH AN ASSET THAT PEOPLE CAN DO, BUT I THINK THAT CONCENTRATING, AND DOING MORE WITH THOSE COURSES, IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEW JERSEY HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON, AND SOMESOMEBODY SAYS, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING, I AM ALL EARS FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE, AND THE ECONOMY DEPEPDS UPON IT IMMENSELY.

>> SENATOR, IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> RHONDA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> EARLIER THIS WEEK, I SHARED SOME HEADLINES OF THE JOB MARKET, BUT IT IS WORTHY OF A DEEPER DIVE ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE KIDS AND THE YOUNGER ADULTS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, AND LOOKING FOR THE FIRST JOBS, AND THE REASON WE FOCUS ON THIS WEEK.

THE MEDIAN HOURLY WAGE IS $23.17.

NEW JERSEY'S POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 4.2% OVER THE NEXT DECADE, BUT THE LABOR FORCE IS EXPECTED TO GROW EVEN FASTER THAN THAT AT 5.8%.

I MENTIONED THAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK ABOUT A LOT OF JOB OPENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN APRIL 11.4 MILLION IN ALL.

DATA FROM NEW JERSEY LAGS BEHIND A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE KNOW THAT IN MARCH, THERE WERE 290,000 JOB OPENINGS, AND IN THAT MONTH, 107,000 NEW JERSEYANS SAID I'M OUTTA HERE AND DITCHED WORK AND JOINED THE GREAT RESIGNATION.

WITH SO MANY POSITIONS IS AVAILABLE, IT IS A GREAT TIME TO LAND A JOB, AND ESPECIALLY FOR RECENT COLLEGE GRAB, AND I TALKED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS WITH ANDY CHALENGER.

WITH THE RECENT JOB MARKET, WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS FOR RECENT COLLEGE GRADS?

>> WE ARE SEEING MORE OPENINGS THAN MODERN RECENT HISTORY, AND THERE IS A LOT OF TURNOVER WITH THE AMERICANS QUITTING THEIR JOBS AND TURNOVER, AND BROAD SPECTRUM OF TEENAGERS AND GRADUATES MOVING INTO NEW SPACES.

>> WITH GRADUATES MOVING INTO THE WORKPLACE WITH THEIR NEW DIPLOMA, HOW MUCH OF A MARKET IS THERE WITH THE NEW MARKETS?

>> COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE AT A LITTLE BIT OF THE DISADVANTAGE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A LONG TRACK RECORD OF WORK HISTORY, AND MOST COMPANIES KNOW REGARDLESS OF WHAT DEGREE THEY GRADUATED WITH, THEY WILL NEED TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN TRAINING AND BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON HOW TO BE A PART OF WORKING WORLD AND PART OF THEIR ORGANIZATION.

YET, THIS IS A GREAT TIME.

ABOUT AS GOOD OF A TIME AS ANY.

>> AND THERE IS A LOT WRITTEN AND SAID AND ANECDOAL STORIES THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE MAKING, AND THE SALARY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PERKS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, WHETHER IT IS HYBRID WORK OR SOMETHING ELSE.

DOES THAT SEEM TO BE A TREND THAT IS CONTINUING ON HERE AS WE HIT THE SUMMER MONTHS?

>> IT IS A TREND OF CONTINUATION.

WE DID A SURVEY OF H.R.

LEADERS, AND NUMBER ONE, TWO AND THREE ITEMS THAT THEY HEARD FROM EMPLOYEES FROM WORKERS WHAT THEY MOST WANTED WERE ALL AROUND AUTONOMY, FLEXIBILITY, AND THE ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY OR LASTING HOURS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, AND SALARY IS BEHIND THAT IN TERMS OF IMPORTANCE.

>> ANDY, IT IS AN INTERESTING MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN, AND PERHAPS IT HAS NOT ENTIRELY PLAYED OUT, BUT GIVEN THE MOVE TO REMOTE WORK, AND BEING IN NEW JERSEY WHERE I AM, YOU CAN BE WORKING IN COLORADO, AND FOR SOME OF THE GRADUATES, I WONDER IF THAT EXPANDS THE OPPORTUNITIES FURTHER.

>> YEAH, IT REALLY DOES.

NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES AND EMPLOYERS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE BEEN DOING NIT SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE DAY, AND THAT ALLOWS NEW GRADUATES TO DO BROADER JOB SEARCHES, AND LOOKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ACROSS THE ROLES OF INDUSTRIES.

>> AND WE KNOW THAT TO START, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL TIME, BUT DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW LONG THIS MIGHT CONTINUE?

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT EVERY MONTH A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE QUITTING THEIR JOBS OR A RECORD NUMBER OF OPENINGS, AND ANY IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING TO NORMALIZE THE MARKET OR WHAT WILL MAKE IT NORMALIZE?

>> WELL, I BELIEVE WE ARE HEADED TO A MORE NORMALIZED MARKET.

INCREASING INTEREST RATES, AND THINGS ARE GOING TO SLOW DOWN, AND POSSIBLY INTERMOBILIZED TIME, AND SO THE TIME IS RIGHT NOW TO GO OUT TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT TO FIND A JOB.

>> THANK YOU, ANDY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> JOB SEARCHING IS FIERCE, AND WE HAVE SEEN JOB FAIRS AND HIRING EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE IN FLAGSHIP TOWNSHIP.

AND I SAT DOWN WITH THE MARKETING MANAGER KRISTEN FITZGERALD ON HOW THE PARK IS TRYING TO ATTRACT NEW WORKERS.

KRISTEN, TELL US HOW THE MARKETING OF NEW EMPLOYEES LOOKS LIKE AT GREAT ADVENTURE, IN THAT YOU HAVE TONS OF NEW POSITIONS IS EVERY YEAR?

>> WE REALLY NEVER STOP HIRING, BECAUSE THE SEASON LASTS PRETTY MUCH ALL YEAR.

SO THIS SEASON IS CHALLENGING, AND SOMETIME I THINK THAT AS WE ARE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING AND THE GIZNESSES ARE THERE WHERE WE BARELY TOOK A PAUSE AT BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW WE ARE BACK AND ENGAGE AND LOOKING FOR UP TO 4,000 TEAM MEMBERS TO SERVICE OUR GUEST, AND WE ARE DOING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO GET THE BEST QUALITY EMPLOYEES OUT THERE TO SERVE OUR GUESTS.

>> AND NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD A BIG HIRING EVENT IN MARCH.

HOW DID THAT TO?

WE POETSED A SERIES OF AUDITIONS, AND THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING WELLMENT WE IMPLEMENTED A SERIES OF CHANGES THIS YEAR TO KEEP ATTRACTING THE EMPLOYEES, TO KEEP THE INTERESTM CANNING, AND APPLICANT KANTS FLOWING N AND IT IS RANGING FROM CREATING A NEW TEXT TO HIRE CAMPAIGN SO THAT THE TEAM MEMBERS CAN SIMPLY TEXT THE AN APPLICATION ON THE PHONE WHICH IS A GREAT WAY TO EM FLOI A HIGH NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND SO THIS IS SUCCESSFUL FOR US, AND A GOOD OLD FASHIONED WAY TO GO OUT THERE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE AND MEET THEM FACE-TO-FACE STILL WORKS REALLY WELL, AND IN FACT, WE THINK IT IS WORKING BETTER THAN VIRTUALLY REACHING OUT, BUTT IS GREAT TO HAVE TECHNIQUES THAT CAN REALLY REACH EVERYBODY.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOST THESE EVENTS THROUGHOUT OUR SEASON, AND KNOW THAT WE ARE MOVING INTO THE SUMMER NOW, BUT THEN WE ARE GOING INTO THE FALL WHICH IS A HUGE RAMP-UP TIME, AND THEN WE GO INTO THE WINTER SEASON AND HOLIDAY SEASON IN THE PARK, SO THE HIRING NEVER ENDS.

>> AND SO TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO TAKE A JOB AT THE PARK, WHAT HAVE YOU HAD TO DO TO SWEETEN THE POT TO MAKE YOUR EMPLOYER LOOK ATTRACTIVE?

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THE WALLET, WE HAVE MADE INCREASES WHEN IT COMES TO WAGES, AND SYSTEM OF THE LARGEST INCREASES HAVE BEEN IN AREAS THAT WE CONSIDER MOST CRITICAL.

AND SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE RIDE OPERATION, AND THE FOOD SERVICES ARE SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN SOME OF THE LARGEST INCREASES SINCE 2020, AND SO WE HAVE MADE INCREASES IN 2020, 2021 AND 2022 AND MOST TEAM MEMBERS ARE STARTING AT 15 TO $16 WHICH IS AN INCREASE FROM THE PRE-PANDEMIC LEVEL.

>> IN TERMS OF THE WAGES STAYING THERE, DOES THAT SEEM TO BE A PERMANENT MOVE GIVEN WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THE LABOR MARKET?

>> THE WAGES WILL STAY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER PERKS THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM SUCH AS WHETHER IT IS A PAID CERTIFICATION LIKE FOR THE LIFEGUARD TRAINING, FREE TICKETS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND PRIVATE PARTIES FOR THEM AND THEIR FRIENDS.

>> KRISTEN, IT IS SO GOOD TO CATCH UP TO YOU ON THE HIRING FRONT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> DOWN IN ATLANTIC CITY, THE GAMING AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IS DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE OF ITS OWN.

THIS IS THE ATLANTIC CONVENTION CENTER OF ITS OWN WHERE JOB SEEKERS WERE MEETING WITH THE MANAGERS OF THE NEARBY KA SEE KNOW -- CASINOS, BUT THE JOB TURNOUT WAS NOT GREAT FOR THOSE NEEDING STAFF.

THEY SAY THAT FOR THIS JOB FAIR, THEY SAY THERE ARE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB SEEKERS.

>> WE HAVE OVER 300 POSITIONS THAT WE NEED TO FILL.

WE HAVE SEASONAL, PART-TIME, FULL-TIME, MANAGER ROLES AND STEWARDS AND THAT TYPE OF POSITION, AND SO WE CAN'T FILL THOSE, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE TO FILL.

>> AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START LOOKING FOR A JOB TO START, AND LET ALONE HOW TO START WORKING IN THE CASINO, AND IT IS GOOD TO COME JOIN THE WORKFORCE ESPECIALLY WITH GET EASIER TO GET STARTED.

>>> AND YOU MAY THINK IT IS EASIER TO GET STARTED, BUT IT IS NOT FOR THOSE WITHOUT CAPITAL.

AT NJ CITY, IT IS A JOB NETWORKING PLACE FOR STUDENT, AND I FOUND OUT FROM DIRECTOR OF CAREER SERVICES AT NJCU'S SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

JOSH YA, NJCU HAS PUT FOCUS ON HELPING FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS TO GET OUT INTO THE WORKING WORLD, AND WHY IS THIS A PRIORITY FOR THE SCHOOLS?

>> WELL, RHONDA, 54% OF THE INSTITUTIONS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION IDENTIFIES AS FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS WHICH MEANS THEY ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TOT A -- TO ATTEND COLLEGE.

AND SO WHILE THEY HAVE THE DRIVE, THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME PRIVILEGE AS OTHER STUDENTS WHETHER IT IS NETWORKING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CLASSROOM WORKLOAD, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THE FIRST-GENERATION TALENT WITH SERVICES.

>> SO TELL ME ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH CAREER SPRING.

>> SURE, I WAS SERVING ON A MAPPING COMMITTEE TO IDENTIFY HOW TO BEST SERVE THE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS.

I CAME ACROSS AN ORGANIZATION OF CAREER SPRINGS THAT PROVIDES THE STUDENTS WITH FIRST-GENERATION MENS OR THE AND EMPLOYERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO RECRUIT THE FIRST GENERATION TALENT THAT WE HAVE.

>> AND HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?

HAVE SOME OF THE STUDENTS DECIDED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY?

>> WELL, WHILE IT IS A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, WE ARE OBSERVING POSITIVE OUTCOMES WITH THOSE UTILIZING THE PLATFORM.

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION, AND MENTOR/MENTEE RELATIONSHIP, AND INTERNSHIP, AND JOB APPLICATIONS AND ALSO SOME STUDENTS LANDING INTERNSHIP JOBS.

>> AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE GRADUATING CLASS, AND IT IS A GREAT JOB MARKET FOR THEM TO GRADUATE INTO.

>> IT IS A STRONG JOB MARKET, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS ARE OFTENTIMES, THEY NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT IS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THE MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE STUDENTS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO RAISE THE BAR FOR THE STUDENTS TO LAND THAT JOB FOR GRADUATION.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR THE FIRST-GEN STUDENTS TO FACE, AND THERE IS A MYRIAD OF ISSUES, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU IDENTIFY AS THE NUMBER ONE?

>> THE COMMONPLACE IS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO YOU KNOW, AND THE WHO YOU KNOW IS IMPORTANT AND WHILE THE FIRST-GENERATION TALENT MAY LACK THAT NETWORK, WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE UP FOR THAT IN THE CAREER SERVICES OFFERINGS THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE MISSIONS ALIGN WITH OURS, AND THAT IS TO PROVIDE THE DIVERSE POPULATION WITH EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO ADVANCE.

>> AND SO, JCU HAS DONE A GREAT JOB TO GRADUATE STUDENTS WITH A HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE RATES.

WHY IS THAT?

>> YOU CAN TEACH THE STUDENT A LOT OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, BUT YOU CAN'T TEACH DRIVE, EFFORT AND COMMITMENT.

OUR STUDENTS HAVE ALL OF THOSE SKILLS.

THAT IS WHAT THE EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR THESE DAYS.

>> JOSHUA, IT IS GOOD TO CATCH UP WITH YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, RHONDA.

>>> WHEN THE COMPANY IS GIVING THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS A LEG UP ON THE JOB MARKET, ATLANTA CARE IS HELPING SOME NEW JERSEY STUDENTS TO LAND ENTRY LEVEL JOBS AND CAREER PATH.

THIS YEAR, THEY ARE GOING TO OFFER TO 30 OF THE STUDENTS WHAT IT IS CALLING THE HIGH SCHOOL HIRING BLITZ.

I SPOKE TO DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AN INCLUPGS IN EQUITY CARE, AND ALONG WITH KATERINA.

SO CHRISTIAN AND KATERINA, IT IS GREAT TO TALK TO YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CHRISTIAN, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE HIGH SCHOOL HIRING BLITZ PROGRAM.

>> AT ATLANTA CARE, AS I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ACQUISITION TEAM, WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BE INNOVATIVE AND HIRING AND THE WORKFORCE TO BUILD PATHWAYS FOR EVERYONE, AND ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IS COMING THROUGH THE TEEN CENTERS THAT ARE LOCATED AT THREE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE TEEN CENTERS AND COLLABORATE WHERE WE WERE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO ARE WERE NOT INTERESTED IN HEALTH CARE, AND GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE CAREERS AND HOW THEY CAN TAKE AN ENTRY LEVEL CAREER PATHWAY IN ATLANTA CARE, AND SUPPORT THEM AS THEY ARE DEVELOPING INTO A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL THROUGH THE FUTURE THROUGH TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND OTHER WAYS.

>> KATERINA, HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THIS AND WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST?

>> WELL, I WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF IT, AND I THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT WORK AT ATLANTIC CARE AND MAYBE APPLY AFTER I GRADUATED, BUT I HEARD FROM MY TEACHER THAT I COULD APPLY HERE WITH MY PROGRAM HERE AT OAK CREST.

>> WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING?

>> I AM GOING TO BE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSOCIATE.

>> WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> THE FIRST PERSON YOU MEET WHEN YOU CHECK INTO THE HOSPITAL.

YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION.

>> AND CHRISTIAN, WHY IS IT PORNT FOR TO A PERSON IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY TO BE CREATIVE AND TO GROW A WORKFORCE?

>> WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW A WORKFORCE THROUGH THE PATHWAYS, AND IDEALLY THROUGH THE EVENTS LIKE THIS, THE HIRING BLITZ, AND ALSO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE HOLISTIC APPROACH AS WE ARE TALKING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, TO ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFIT, AND THE RESOURCES WHICH ALLOW THEM TO NOT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND PROTECT THEK COMMUNITY, AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION STANDPOINT HERE, WE ARE SOLIDIFYING THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DIVISION AND INCLUSION LEADS TO PROFITABILITY.

>> WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A NURSE?

>> A LOT OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS I HAVE ARE NURSES, AND I WANTED TO FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPENING NEXT, CHRISTIAN?

>> WE WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THE PROGRAMS, AND MAYBE START TRAINING EARLIER BEFORE THEY GRADUATE, AND MAYBE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AROUND THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND TALK ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS, AND THE FINANCIAL PLANNING AND HOW TO LOOK AT THE PAYCHECK, AND HOW TO BUY A HOUSE, AND ENDLESS ABILITIES OF HOW TO CONNECT TO HOW TO LIVE WITH A MAN WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> IT IS GREAT TO HEAR YOUR STORY, CHRISTIAN AND FOR YOU BOTH TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR STORIES.

>>> AND UP NEXT WEEK, HOW DOES A HOME BUYER NAVIGATE THE HOUSING MARKET.

I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

>>> >>> FUNDING FOR "NJ BUSINESS" BEING PROVIDED BY NJ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

A GAME-CHANGING FORCE OFFERING PROGRAMS LIKE FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY OR BUSINESS ANALYTICS AND DATA SCIENCE.

WE'RE STEPS AWAY FROM THE EXCHANGE PLACE IN JERSEY CITY AND MINUTES FROM WALL STREET.

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