>>> FUNDING FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEAT" PROVIDED BY NJCU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

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

STEPS FROM THE TRAIN IN JERSEY CITY AND MINUTES FROM WALL STREET.

>> THIS WEEK ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT," NEW JERSEY'S PATH FORWARD FOLLOWING THE ELECTION NIGHT DRAMA.

BUSINESS LEADERS WEIGH IN ON THE TIGHT GUBERNATORIAL RACE AND GOVERNOR MURPHY'S WIN.

PLUS, NEW FEDERAL RULES FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DETAILS ITS NATIONWIDE VAMD FOR COMPANIES.CCINE MANDATE FOR COMPANIES.

AND WE PUT THE JOB MARKET IN FOCUS.

FROM COMPANIES NO LONGER DEMANDING COLLEGE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND WORKERS USING NEWFOUND LEVERAGE TO FIND BETTER JOBS.

STRAIGHT AHEAD ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

♪ >> THIS IS "NJ BUSINESS BEAT" WITH RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

>> HELLO I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "NJ BUSINESS BEAT."

IF YOU ARE WATCHING ON YOUTUBE, MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO GET ALERTED WHEN WE POST NEW EPISODES AND CLIPS.

NEW JERSEY IS GOING KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

THAT WAS THE PLEDGE MADE BY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY WHO SECURE AD SECOND TERM IN THIS WEEKS ELECTIONS BY A RAZOR THIN MARGIN.

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING WITH 99% OF PRECINCTS REPORTING, MURPHY WON JUST OVER 50% OF THE VOTE.

ABOUT ONE PERCENTAGE MOINT MORE THAN HIS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, JACK CIATTARELLI.

MOST OF NEW JERSEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO CAST BALLOTS.

ANALYSIS BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE DAY AFTER ELECTION DAY FOUND ONLY 37% OF ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS VOTED.

THAT NUMBER COULD INCREASE AS MORE MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE COUNTED.

BUT IT STILL MARKS HISTORICALLY LOW VOTER TURNOUT.

POLLSTERS AND PUNDITS WERE OFFERING ALL SORT OF REASONS WHY THE GOVERNORS RACE WAS SO CLOSE.

BUSINESS LEADERS BELIEVE DISSATISFACTION OVER THE BUSINESS CLIMATE T ECONOMY AND TAXES INFLUENCED THE VOTE.

I SPOKE WITH TWO OF THOSE LEADERS, TOM BRACKEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND AN NJ PBS BOARD OF TRUSTEE, AS WELL AS MICHELLE SIKURKA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

>> COVID, NO QUESTION.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT I THINK THERE STILL COULD HAVE BEEN MORE BALANCE BETWEEN HANDLING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND THE MEDICAL CRISIS.

BUT, WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CLOSED, SO MANY RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE CLOSED.

SO MANY PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.

COMPANIES STRUGGLING TO RECOVER.

I THINK DEFINITELY THAT PLAYS A ROLE.

>> I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, BUSINESS ABSOLUTELY FEELS, YOU KNOW, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.

AS YOU KNOW NEW JERSEY WAS SHUT DOWN THE LONGEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

DEFINITIONS OF ESSENTIAL AND NON ESSENTIAL THAT IMPACTED BUSINESSES FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.

YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES JUST HANGING ON RIGHT NOW RHONDA.

>> THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS BETTING HAS BEEN DOING VERY WELL IN NEW JERSEY.

BUT IT WAS DEALT AN ELECTION DAY SETBACK.

A BALLOT QUESTION ASKED WHETHER SPORTS BETTING SHOULD BE EXPANDED IN THE STATE TO INCLUDE ALL COLLEGE SPORTING EVENTS INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING NEW JERSEY TEAMS.

VOTERS NIXED THE IDEA WITH MOST OF THE PRECINCTS REPORTING MORE THAN 57% VOTED AGAINST THE QUESTION AND ONLY 43% VOTED YET.

MILLIONS OF WORKERS MUST BE FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 BY JANUARY 4th OR UNDERGO WEEKLY TESTS FOR COVID EXPOSURE, UNDER NEW RULES FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

IN SEPTEMBER PRESIDENT BIDEN MANDATED VACCINATIONS FOR WORKERS OF PRIVATE COMPANIES WITH MORE THAN 100 EMPLOYEES, BUT DETAILS ON HOW THIS WOULD WORK WERE JUST RELEASED THIS PAST WEEK.

ACCORDING TO THE NEW RULES, UNVACCINATED WORKERS MUST START WEARING MASKS BY DECEMBER 5th AND PROVIDE NEGATIVE COVID TESTS EACH WEEK AHEAD OF THAT JANUARY 4th DATE.

ANYONE WHO TESTS POSITIVE CANNOT GO TO WORK.

NEW JERSEY'S BURGEONING WIND INDUSTRY IS ATTRACTING ATTENTION OUTSIDE OF THE STATE.

SIX'S WORLD'S BIGGEST OFF SHORE WIND DEVELOPERS AND TURBINE MANUFACTURERS ARE VYING TO BECOME TENANTS AT NEW JERSEY'S WIND PORT IN SOUTH JERSEY.

WE GOT A PROGRESS REPORT FROM TIM SULLIVAN THE CEO OF THE NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

THERE'S BEEN KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN RECENT WEEKS, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT SIX COMPANIES ARE SHOWING INTERESTS.

TELL ME ABOUT THESE BIDS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

>> WE GOT ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF ABOUT AN EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE TO A BID PROCESS FOR TENANTS AT THE WIND COURT.

TWO PARTS OF THE PROCESS.

ONE FOR MANUFACTURERS AND ONE FOR OFF SHORE WIND COMPANIES THAT OWN AND OPERATE THE POWER PLANTS AT SEA.

THE TOP THREE GLOBAL FIRMS ON MANUFACTURING SIDE, GE, VESTAS AND SIEMENS ALL WANT TO BE PART OF THE WIND PORT AND ON THE DEVELOPER SIDE.

THE WIN COMPANY.

THREE COMPANIES, FORE STEAD, ATLANTIC SHORES AND EQUINOR ALL WANT TO BE PART OF THE WIND PORT.

SO WE THINK THE POTENTIAL HERE IS EXTRAORDINARY.

>> SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

NOW THAT THE BIDS ARE IN.

WHAT'S THE PROCESS FROM EAR.

>> WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN ONCE WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE REVIEWING WHAT'S COME THROUGH AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING TIED OFF FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE AND START NEGOTIATIONS WITH ALL SIX PARTIES AND WORK TO DRIVE A GREAT DEAL FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF NEW JERSEY, FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY THAT DEAL.

WE'LL PIVOT ON HOW MANY JOBS THEY ARE GOING TO CREATE, THE LEVEL OF CAPITAL THEY ARE WILLING TO INVEST.

WHAT PRICE ARE THEY WILLING TO PAY FOR THE LAND THEY ARE GOING TO BE LEASING FROM THE STATE FROM THE EDA.

SO WE THINK WE'VE GOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MOMENTUM AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD THING FOR THE BUILD OUT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PORT.

REALLY I THINK UNDERSCORES THE INTELLIGENCE OF GOVERNOR MURPHY'S STRATEGY AROUND OFF SHORE WIND.

THIS IS REALLY STRONG VALIDATION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOVERNOR MURPHY IS BUILDING HERE IN SOUTH JERSEY.

>> SO BRING US UP TO DATE ON THE TIME LINE, ESPECIALLY AS YOU REVIEW THESE BIDS.

ARE WE STILL ON TRACK IN TERMS OF THE START OF WORK AT THE WIND PORT?

AND ALSO, IF YOU CAN BRING US UP TO SPEED ON WHEN WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THESE JOBS COME TO FRUITION.

>> YEAH, THE EXCITING NEWS RHONDA IS THAT WORK IS HAPPENING AT THE WIND PORT RIGHT NOW.

SITE WORKS AND EARTH WORKS HAPPENING AT THE WIND PORT RIGHT NOW THE GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT AND LABOR SECRETARY IN EARLY SEPTEMBER TO BEGIN WORK AND DO THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE PROJECT.

THAT WORK IS UNDER WAY.

FULL SCALE CONSTRUCTION WILL PROBABLY START LATE THIS YEAR, EARLY NEXT YEAR.

AND THERE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, REAL JOBS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF OFF SHORE WIND ARE ALREADY HAPPENING.

AND MANUFACTURING JOBS ARE PROBABLY A YEAR OR TWO AWAY DEPENDING ON PROPOSALS AND THE NATURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FACILITIES OF THESE FIRMS ARE GOING TO WANT TO BUILD.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, AND WE'RE MAKING INVESTMENT THIS IS THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO GET FOLKS READY FOR THOSE JOBS NOW.

THESE ARE NEW INDUSTRIES.

THEY ARE SIMILAR TO EXISTING INDUSTRY SO IN THE BUILDING TRADE THERE IS LOTS OF GREAT EXPERIENCE IN VARIOUS TRADES HOW TO BUILD AND INSTALL AND OPERATE FACILITIES BUT ON THE MANUFACTURING SIDE, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS ARE BEING STOOD UP AND GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE NETWORK PARTICULARLY SOUTH JERSEY AND THE BROADER HIGHER EDUCATION NETWORK TO GET FOCUS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THIS CAREER PATH TODAY AND THOSE ARE INVESTMENTS PEOPLE SHOULD BE MAKING IN THEMSELVES IN THAT TRAINING NOW.

BECAUSE THESE JOBS ARE COMING.

THIS IS NO LONGER OUT OVER THE HORIZON, MAYBE IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN SOMEDAY.

THIS IS VERY REAL AND BECOMING VERY NEAR TERM.

>> MR. SUL FAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU RHONDA.

>> NEW JERSEY IS MAKING STRIDES WHEN IT COMES TO INCREASING DIVERSITY.

A NEW REPORT CALLED "A SEAT AT THE TABLE" FROM EXECUTIVE WOMEN OF NEW JERSEY SHOWS WOMEN ARE NOW BETTER REPRESENTED ON COMPANY BOARDS.

IN 2019, 18% OF THE BOARD SEATS AT GARDEN STATE COMPANIES WERE HELD BY WOMEN, UP FROM JUST 14% IN 2013.

AND THE NUMBER OF COMPANIES WITHOUT ANY WOMEN ON THEIR BOARDS DECREASED TO JUST 16% DOWN FROM 30%.

WE SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF EXECUTIVE WOMEN OF NEW JERSEY ANNA MARA TIGHEJEDA.

YOUR REPORT SHOWS AREAS OF PROGRESS IN SOME AND NOT IN OTHERS.

WHAT IS YOUR BIRDS EYE VIEW OF THE FINDINGS.

>> OUR PERSPECTIVE IS THIS A GOOZ STARTER TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT REALLY DIVERSIFYING CORPORATE BOARDS WHEN IT COMES TO RACIAL DIVERSITY IN ADDITION TO GENDER DIVERSITY.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE ZWRENDER DIVERSITY FRONT?

>> THERE'S BEEN AN ACTIVE I THINK ADVOCACY FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS OR SO TO REALLY ADVOCATE FOR GENDER DIVERSITY ON CORPORATE BOARDS.

EVEN PUBLIC DOCUMENTS WHERE WE'RE SEEING COMPANIES SHOW WOMEN ON CORPORATE BOARDS.

YOU CAN SEE THE DATA.

WHEN IT COMES TO RACIAL DIVERSITY, CORPORATIONS ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO SHOW THEIR RACIAL OR ETHNIC DIVERSITY.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.

AND ALSO, AS YOU KNOW RHONDA, WITH THE LAST YEAR WITH THE PANDEMIC WITH THE RACIAL RECKONING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS COUNTRY, I THINK THIS HAS BECOME MORE OF APP ISSUE TO REALLY PRESS CORPORATIONS TO HAVE DIVERSE CORPORATE BOARDS THAT ARE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CLIENT BASE, OF THEIR CUSTOMER PACE.

.

>> HOW CAN YOU HELP BOARDS ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?

CERTAINLY YOU LOOK AT A PLACE LIKE NEW JERSEY WHICH IS SUCH A DIVERSE STATE IT.

SEEMS TO ME THE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CATCH YOU HAVE ON THIS AREA.

>> WE FOCUS ON A NUMBER OF CORPORATIONS THAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PAST THAT HAVE THREE OR MORE WOMEN ON THEIR BOARDS.

AND ALSO HAVE A DIVERSE BOARD.

AND WE HAVE ASKED THEM AND BASICALLY DONE A CASE ANALYSIS AS TO WHAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR THEM.

AND THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE NOTICED AND THAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN YOU ARE -- READ THE REPORT IS THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DIVERSE BOARD, THEY ARE ABLE TO GET MORE DIVERSE CORPORATE BOARD DIRECTORS.

>> GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

>> SO THE MAIN THING IS CORPORATIONS HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

I THINK A LOT OF CORPORATIONS HAVE FOCUSED POPULATING BOARDS WITH ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.

THE NUMBERS SHOW YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THESE POSITIONS, SO YOU HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

ALWAYS HEAR PEOPLE SAY CORPORATIONS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COLOR IN THE PIPELINE.

CORPORATIONS HAVE TO MAKE AN ACTIVE EFFORT TO CREATE THAT PIPELINE AND THE REALITY IS THAT YOU DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE PIPELINE WHO ARE IN FUNCTIONAL ROLES WHO ARE IN POSITIONS THAT LEAD DEPARTMENTS AND AS YOU KNOW RHONDA, EMPLOYEES ARE KEY ASPECT OF CORPORATIONS.

AND TO WHY NOT LOOK TO THESE TYPE OF LEADERS TO BRING THEM UP.

THAT'S ONE.

THE SECOND ONE IS YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT DIVERSIFYING YOUR BOARD.

AND IT HAS TO BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY.

SO NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL.

BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE COUNTING HOW YOU ARE CHANGING THAT DIVERSITY.

>> DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU DO THIS REPORT YOU WILL SEE THE NUMBERS MOVE?

>> I REALLY DO THINK BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE COUNTRY IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, YOU REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE ON THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT.

AND I THINK CORPORATIONS ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW -- THEY ARE REALLY TAKING THIS ON SERIOUSLY.

>> AND FINALLY, HOW DOES NEW JERSEY'S CORPORATIONS, HOW DO THEY FAIR COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN NATIONAL.

>> I >> NEW JERSEY CORPORATIONED AREN'T DOING THAT MUCH BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL CORPORATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO RACIAL DIVERSITY.

AND EVEN, KIND OF THE SAME WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH GENDER DIVERSITY.

AND SO WE DO HOPE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE IN A STATE THAT IS MUCH MORE DIVERSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SO MUCH TALENT IN THE STATE, IT WILL NOT BE A HARD BURDEN FOR CORPORATIONS TO REALLY DIVERSIFY CORPORATE BOARDS.

>> GREAT TALKING TO YOU ON THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU RHONDA.

>> THE PUSH TOWARDS DIVERSITY IS JUST ONE ISSUE OCCUPYING COMPANIES.

MANY ARE ALSO TRYING TO REBUILD THEIR WORKFORCES AT A TIME WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE HARD TO FIND OR ARE QUITTING TO PURSUE SOMETHING ELSE.

SO COMPANIES ARE BROADENING THEIR SEARCH FOR WORKERS.

AND EMPLOYEES ARE FINDING THEY HAVE MORE BARGAINING POWER.

WE'RE PUTTING THESE CHANGING LABOR MARKET TRENDS IN FOCUS THIS WEEK.

NEW JERSEY-BASED ADP SAYS HIRING PICKED UP IN OCTOBER, AS THE DELTA WAVE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WINDS DOWN.

571,000 NEW JOBS WERE ADDED TO THE ECONOMY LAST MONTH, WITH LARGE COMPANIES DOING MOST OF THE HIRING.

AND ADP IS PREDICTING BIG JOB GAINS IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.

ADP ALSO TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT LABOR MARKET TRENDS OVER A THREE-MONTH PERIOD ENDING IN SEPTEMBER.

EMPLOYMENT GROWTH WAS UP MORE THAN 4% IN THE QUARTER.

WORKER WAGES INCREASED BY 3.3%.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT THEIR JOBS FOR GREENER PASTURES, PAY INCREASE WERE EVEN HIGHER.

JOB SWITCHERS SAW WAGES INCREASE BY 6.6%.

WORKERS IN THE TRADE, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY SECTOR GOT THE BIGGEST PAY RAISES WITH A GAIN OF 6.7%.

IN THIS TIGHT JOB MARKET, WE'RE SEEING COMPANIES BECOME MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR TALENT POOL.

AND THAT INCLUDES RECRUITING EMPLOYEES WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES.

BUSINESSES ARE TURNING TO A APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP A PIPELINE OF WORKER WHO DON'T NEED FOUR-YEAR DEGREES.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH A COMPANY CALLED MULTI VERSE WHICH WORKS WITH EMPLOYEE-STARVED BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN AREAS LIKE DATA AND SOFTWARE ENGINEERING.

MULTI VERSE WORKS WITH OVER 300 BUSINESSES GLOBALLY AND A GROWING NUMBER IN THE U.S.

INCLUDING SOME BIG NAMES LIKE GOOGLE.

I SPOKE WITH SOPHIE RODDICK, THE V.P.

OF NORTH AMERICA FOR THE COMPANY.

YOU ARE COMPANY IS FILLING A NEED NOT JUST INTERNATIONALLY HERE IN THE U.S. WHAT WERE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET THAT MADE YOU DECIDE THE OPPORTUNITY WAS RIGHT TO COP INTO THE UNITED STATES TO HELP.

>> MULTI VERSE A ORGANIZATION FOCUSSED ON BUILDING OUTSTANDING ALTERNATIVE TO COLLEGE AND CORPORATE TRAINING, ONE THAT FOCUSES ON SKILLS, ACCESS, EQUITY AND SOLVING THESE CRITICAL CHALLENGES FOR BUSINESSES.

AND WE SEE PROFESSIONAL APPRENTICESHIPS.

FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT FREE TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUPLED WITH REAL EXPERIENCE AND ON THE JOB TRAINING AS KEY TO SOLVING THESE CHALLENGES.

>> HOW DOES IT WORK?

DO THE U.S. COMPANIES CONTACT YOU AND YOU COME IN AND SET UP A PROGRAM FOR THEM.

>> LARGE MAJORITY OF 14 ONE,000 COMPANIES AND FAST AND BUSINESSES HAVE STARTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEY WANT DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY AND IN DOING SO THAT MEANS FINDING A NEW TALENT PIPELINE AND A WAY OF TRAINING THESE INDIVIDUALS UP ON THE JOB.

SO WE'LL COME TO THEM OR THEY WILL COME TO US.

AND WORK WITH THEM TO REALLY THINK HOW AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM CAN SOLVE SOME OF THEIR KEY BUSINESS CHALLENGES.

>> PEOPLE HAVE HEARD FOR QUITE SOME TIME THAT IF YOU GO TO COLLEGE, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A HIGHER SALARY.

IS THAT BEING TURNED ON ITS HEAD RIGHT NOW?

>> IT'S COMPLETELY BEING TURNED ON ITS HEAD.

I THINK THE AVERAGE SALARY FOR COLLEGE GRADUATE RIGHT NOW IS AROUND $50,000.

THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THEIR SOMETIMES UP TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT SOMEONE TAKES ON.

WE SEE OUR APPRENTICES STARTING SALARY BETWEEN 50 AND $70,000 AND THAT IS WHEN THEY START THE AGES OF 18-24 WITHOUT A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE.

AND THEN WE SEE UPON COMPLETING, OVER 90% OF THEM TAKE ON NEW ROLES WITHIN THEIR COMPANY, HAVE PAY RAISES OR INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES.

SO WE'RE SEEING NOT ONLY NOT TAKING ON DEBT BUT ACTUALLY THAT PATH TO PROGRESSION IS THAT MUCH QUICKER WHEN YOU GO DOWN THESE NEW ROUTES.

>> AND YOU MENTION DIVERSITY AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONVERSATION TOGETHER.

HOW IS THIS HELPING TO SOLVE DIVERSITY CHALLENGES IN THE WORKPLACE?

>> SO WE REALLY BELIEVE IN WIDENING THE GAPE AND NOT LOWERING THE BAR.

WE ARE NOT SAYING TO BUSINESSES THAT THEY SHOULD COMPROMISE ON QUALITY.

WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT THERE ARE INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE MEETING BECAUSE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS ARE SCREENING OUT TWO-THIRDS OF BLACK AMERICANS AND THREE QUARTERS OF HISPANIC AMERICANS.

SO WE FIND HIGH POTENTIAL INDIVIDUALS BY PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITIES, PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS, WITH COLLEGES.

VERY CREATIVE MARKET CAMPAIGNS TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM AND SNATCH, AND REALLY ASSESSING FOR POTENTIAL.

SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND REALLY HIGH POTENTIAL TALENT PIPELINE FOR OUR EMPLOYERS.

AND ONCE THEY ARE ON, WE'RE WITH THEM THE NEXT 18 MONTHS TRAINING THEM UP IN HARD, SOFT AND DURABLE SKILLS.

WHAT I MEAN IS THE HARD SKILLS ARE THE TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT EVERY EMPLOYER IS CRAVING.

AND THE DURABLE SKILLS ARE THE SKILLS THAT REALLY DIFFERENTIATE OUR APPRENTICES AND REALLY WHAT MAKES SOMEONE SUCCESSFUL AND THOSE ARE LEADERSHIP, MANAGING UP, COMMUNICATION, NEGOTIATION AND IT IS REALLY THAT THAT HELPS OUR APPRENTICES TO THEN PROGRESS IN THE WORKPLACE ONCE THEY ARE IN.

>> SOPHIE, ITS BEEN GREAT TALKING TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, RHONDA.

>> FIND OUT MORE ABOUT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, I TALKED WITH ANDREW CASHINO.

HE LEFT COLLEGE FOR HANDS ON TRAINING AT THE OFFICE OF CHUB IN JERSEY CITY.

ANDREW, HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR WAY INTO AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?

>> I FOUND MY WAY INTO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THROUGH ANOTHER PROGRAM I WAS DOING THAT I HAD A MENTOR AND THROUGH THERE AFTER GRADUATING IT, I WAS GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO MULTI VERSE.

AND THROUGH MULTIVERSE I FOUND CHUB.

AND IT WASN'T PARTICULARLY THE FIELD I WAS STUDYING PRIOR.

I WAS MORE IN CYBER SECURITY TRYING TO BE LIKE A NETWORK ANALYST, BUT INSTEAD THIS WAS GEARED TOWARDS DATA ANALYST PART OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS AT CHUB SO I WENT FOR IT.

BECAUSE AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT DOESN'T REALLY COME TO ANYONE THAT'S NOT IN COLLEGE.

AND I JUST JUMPED FOR IT.

AND ITS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

>> WHAT WAS YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND BEFORE MOVING INTO APPRENTICESHIP?

>> WELL, IT WAS -- I WAS TWO YEARS INTO COLLEGE.

SO I WAS A SOPHOMORE AT JOHN J.

AND I WAS MAJORING IN CYBER SECURITY AND INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

AND THROUGH FINANCIAL REASONS, I WASN'T ABLE TO CONTINUE.

BUT I STILL WANTED TO PURSUE MY DREAM.

IN THE TECHNOLOGY SPACE.

SO I KEPT LOOKING AND I JUST CAME ACROSS THESE PROGRAMS THAT LED ME TO MULTI VERSE.

>> AND HOW LONG WILL YOUR TRAINING LAST AT MULTI VERSE?

WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE GETTING OUT THERE IN THE WORKFORCE?

>> WELL, IT IS GOING TO LAST UNTIL MARCH.

SO IT IS LIKE A FULL YEAR.

SO THAT IS REALLY GOOD TO PUT ON YOUR RESUME.

AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AFTERWARDS IS I'M GOING TO SEEK ALL THE CONNECTIONS I MADE AT CHUB AND MULTIVERSE AND SEE WHERE THAT COULD LEAD ME.

>> AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU DON'T REALLY NEED COLLEGE, THAT YOU CAN PURSUE ANOTHER AVENUE.

WHY DID IT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

>> IT MADE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I'M -- I'M A PERSON THAT'S MORE HANDS ON.

SO I REALLY WANTED TO JUST GET INTO THE FIELD AND GET DIRTY.

AND IN MY MIND WHAT CORPORATE AMERICA WAS THROUGH LIKE TV AND MOVIES IS THIS, LIKE, REALLY STRESSFUL HARD-WORKING AND REALLY, LIKE, CUT-THROAT TYPE OF FIELD.

BUT IT IS REALLY NOT.

IT IS ACTUALLY JUST WORKING AT CHUB HAS BEEN REALLY NICE.

AND EVERYONE IS SUPER HELPFUL LOOKING OUT FOR YOU.

THERE IS ALSO OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN MORE WHILE WORKING AT THE JOB THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING.

SO IT IS REALLY NICE TO BE PART OF THIS COMPANY.

>> WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION, NOT JUST ONLY WHEN YOU FINISH UP THIS PROGRAM AND START YOUR FIRST JOB.

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER AMBITION?

>> MY ULTIMATE CAREER AMBITION IS TO NOT ONLY BE A DATA ANALYST BUT MY HOPES AND DREAMS IS TO BE PART OF A VIDEO GAME STUDIO AND WORKING TOWARDS WHAT HELPED ME AS A KID, INSPIRE ME TO KEEP GOING AND LOOK, YOU KNOW, TO THE STARS.

BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY THAT.

BEING PART OF VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY.

>> WELL GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR STORY WITH ME.

>> THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> IF YOU ARE DOING THE 9:00 TO 5:00 GRIND OR TOILING IN THE GIG ECONOMY, HERE IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

YOU HAVE A LOT MORE SAY IN YOUR CAREER THAN YOU HAVE HAD IN THE PAST.

THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN QUITTING THEIR JOBS, WHY STAY IF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY.

THE WORKERS SHORTAGE HAS SHIFTED THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE.

WE SPOKE WITH JANE OATES, THE PRESIDENT OF WORKING NATION ABOUT THAT.

JANE, WE HAVE SEEN ECONOMISTS REALLY RAISING THEIR EYEBROWS ABOUT THIS LABOR MARKET.

THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE WALKING AWAY FROM THEIR JOBS.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET EMPLOYEES TO GO BACK TO THEIR OFFICES AND WORKPLACES?

>> WORKERS WANT TO FEEL SAFE.

YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR WORKPLACE IS SAFE AND THEY ARE NOT PUTTING THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILIES AT RISK.

AND I THINK THAT IS JOB NUMBER ONE FOR EMPLOYERS TO CONVEY, TO COMMUNICATE TO PERSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS INCUMBENT WORKERS THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING SAFETY PROTOCOLS EVERY DAY.

AND THEN I THINK WE GET TO THE OTHER ELEMENTS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKERS HAVE CARED ABOUT FOREVER AND THAT IS WAGES AND FLEXIBILITY.

THE OTHER NEW ONE I THINK THAT WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT EVERY DAY IS, MORE THAN EVER EMPLOYEES WANT TO KNOW THAT EMPLOYERS WILL INVEST THIS NEM.

>> WHEN YOU SAY INVEST IN THEM.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?THEM.

>> WHEN YOU SAY INVEST IN THEM.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

>> I THINK IT IS RESPECT THEM.

AND FOR YEARS, ORGANIZED LABOR REALLY TOOK CARE OF THAT FOR MANY EMPLOYEES.

THEY MADE SURE THEY NEGOTIATED AT THE TABLE.

THE SAFETY I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

BUT ALSO THE CONTINUES LEARNING.

THE LEARNING THAT NOT ONLY PREPARES YOU TO DO YOUR CURRENT JOB BETTER BUT MAY PUT YOU ON A CAREER TRAJECTORY THAT TAKES YOU TO A NEW JOB THAT PAYS MORE AND HAS A BETTER TITLE.

SO WHEN I GO BACK TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOST SO MANY UNION JOBS.

SO NOW EMPLOYERS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT THROUGH THEIR HR PEOPLE.

HOW DOES AN HR REPRESENTATIVE SAY TO A PERSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE WE INVEST IN YOU?

>> I THINK ONE THING INTERESTING THAT YOU MENTIONED BEFORE WAS THAT WAGES ARE MORE OF AN ISSUE.

AND WE'RE SEEING WAGES INCREASE RATHER SIGNIFICANTLY.

THE PROBLEM IS SO IS INFLATION.

SO EVEN THOUGH A COMPANY MIGHT THINK THEY ARE HANDING OUT NICE RAISES, THE EMPLOYEES NOT REALLY FEELING THAT.

>> I THINK WHAT PEOPLE HAVE LOST PERSPECTIVE ON IS THAT IT COSTS MONEY TO GO TO WORK.

WHEN YOU AND I GO TO WORK EVERY DAY, WHETHER WE DRIVE OR WHETHER WE TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HOW WE DRESS COSTS US MORE.

HAVING YOUR HAIRCUT COSTS MORE.

THERE IS A COST TO GOING TO WORK.

AND I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.

WAGES HAVE GONE UP.

IN SOME SECTORS AS MUCH AS 10% OVER THE LAST YEAR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO FORGET THAT WAGES WERE STAGNANT FOR NEARLY A DECADE FOR MOST PEOPLE.

SO THAT REALLY IS LIKE A MARKET CORRECTION, I THINK.

>> YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT FLEXIBILITY.

IN SOME WAYS, ARE WORKERS RIGHT NOW IN THE DRIVER SEAT?

BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING SOME COMPANIES SAY YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME A COUPLE DAYS A WEEK IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

THERE ARE MORE JOB OPENINGS THAN THERE ARE BODIES TO FILL THEM.

SO IS THIS KIND OF THE MOMENT FOR WORKERS TO SPEAK UP?

>> WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A VACUUM.

I WOULD SAY A 20-YEAR AT LEAST VACUUM WHERE WORKERS HAVE LOST THEIR VOICE.

AND, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO -- EVEN THE GREATEST EMPLOYERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH A ONE-SIZE FITS ALL.

AND THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE.

I MEAN, EMPLOYEES ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS.

>> BEEN GREAT CATCHING UP WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALWAYS GREAT TALKING TO YOU.

>> AND THAT WRAPS UP OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

I'M RHONDA SCHAFFLER.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>>> FUNDING FOR "NJ BUSINESS BEAT" PROVIDED BY NJCU 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 PATH TRAIN IN JERSEY CITY, AND MINUTES FROM WALL STREET.

LEARN MORE AT NJCU.EDU/GAMECHANGER.

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