What “essential skills” do you see as most critical for the future workforce in New Jersey?
Based on insights from the New Jersey Department of Labor, Workforce Development Boards, and business owner surveys, we see the following skills as most critical for the future workforce in New Jersey:
Digital Literacy & Technology Fluency: As automation, AI, and data analytics reshape industries, workers must be comfortable using digital tools, platforms, and emerging technologies across sectors.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving:The ability to analyze complex issues, make data-informed decisions, and adapt solutions to dynamic environments is consistently identified by employers as valuable.
Communication Skills (Written & Verbal): Effective communication is important, especially in hybrid and remote work settings. Employers and new graduates report an especially big gap in clarity, tone, and professionalism in both formats.
Adaptability & Resilience: Given the pace of technological change and economic uncertainty, the workplace demands workers who can pivot quickly, learn new skills, and remain productive under pressure.
Collaboration & Teamwork: As work becomes more interdisciplinary and project-based, the ability to collaborate across roles and departments is essential for productivity and innovation. Self-Motivation & Time Management: Employers are placing greater emphasis on personal accountability, especially in roles with less direct supervision or flexible schedules.
Data Literacy & Analytical Thinking: With data driving decisions in nearly every industry, understanding how to interpret, visualize, and act on data is a foundational skill for future roles.
How is your institution partnering with employers to ensure graduates are workforce-ready?
RSBC maintains open communication with our employer partners, both for them to communicate feedback about the performance of our student interns and post-graduation hires, and also to share any gaps between their workforce needs and how our students show up for employment opportunities.
We also conduct corporate visits with our industry partners, where we bring 20-30 students to the corporate office, tour the facility, learn from employees about their relevant career paths and trajectories, connect with employees during a networking lunch for informal conversations, and hear from HR professionals about the company’s opportunities and expectations of strong candidates.
In a good example of how RSBC can work together to serve alumni, current students, and businesses in the regional economy, Dean Monica Adya recently deepened our relationship with Thayer Distribution, a family business that employs approximately 100 in the region. Thayer’s
President Guido Gallichio is an RSBC alumnus and his wife, Georgia, is Chief Operating Officer and an alumna of Arts & Sciences. This partnership led to Professional and Executive Education at Rutgers (PEER) developing and delivering two certificate programs on Core Leadership Skills and Excellence in Customer Service for 30 Thayer employees. RSBC and Thayer have also partnered on providing internship opportunities to support Thayer’s workforce development, hosting Business Honors students for a site visit, and providing tuition discounts for Thayer employees and their families.
What efforts are being made to reach underrepresented communities and ensure equitable access to workforce pathways?
In an effort to increase diversity and specifically attract members of underrepresented communities, many firms have instituted outreach initiatives to connect with students. We have consistently collaborated with these employer partners to expose our students to these opportunities, encourage participation, and ultimately envision themselves in these spaces. In recent months, we have definitely seen a decline in some corporate diversity policies, however, we continue to urge our students to seek out and participate in such opportunities. A specific example is the Meet the Firms event, co-hosted by the campus Career Advancement Center and the School of Business. This is an exclusive event for pre-qualified and prepared accounting majors to meet and promote themselves to recruiters and executives at the Big 4 accounting firms, 2nd-tier and regional accounting firms. The industry professionals present are those who undergraduate students would not typically have access to, but the event offers students the chance to connect with and impress persons of influence in the accounting industry, in hopes of this interaction leading to future internship and hiring opportunities.
