Middlesex College has joined a robust network of community colleges statewide offering New Jersey Film Academy (NJFA) courses and certifications.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in New Jersey’s evolving entertainment industry will have the opportunity to bridge the gap between education and employment with training that spans across all production sectors.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges to position New Jersey as a leading hub for film and television production while boosting economic growth. The NJFA program offers pathways for students from diverse backgrounds to earn valuable industry-recognized knowledge.
New Jersey is becoming a hotbed of film and television production since Gov. Phil Murphy reinstated the Film and Digital Media Tax Credit Program in 2018. Recently, the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission announced that overall in-state production spending from filmmaking rose to a record $833 million in 2024, surpassing the previous mark of $701 million in 2022.
The commission, which is part of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, said 556 productions were filmed in New Jersey last year, hiring a total of more than 30,000 crew members, nearly doubling the number of crew hires from 2023.
In addition to individual productions filming in the state, studios are choosing New Jersey to expand their presence. After Netflix was designated as a Studio Partner and approved for Aspire awards by the NJEDA in 2024, the streaming company broke ground on its production facility in Fort Monmouth earlier this year. 1888 Studios in Bayonne was designated as Film-Lease Partner Facility and approved for Aspire awards in 2024.
“With companies like Netflix, Lionsgate, and other major studios coming to New Jersey, it’s no longer necessary to move across the country to pursue a career in film,” said Erik Stratton, Middlesex College director of Lifelong Learning. “The New Jersey Film Academy courses are designed with this in mind – to give students a chance to develop the skills these employers are looking for.”
Classes offered this spring include topics such as script writing, production coordination, and production accounting for film and television.
“The New Jersey Film Academy courses offer a wide array of opportunities to students in Middlesex County who are interested in the film and television industries,” said Joanie Coffaro, vice president of external affairs, communication, and advancement at Middlesex College. “Providing access to key skills will provide students a better chance at this exciting and emerging job market.”
