The summit began with a keynote address from Carl Van Horn, Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University and Dennis Bone, Director for the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship at Montclair State University. Van Horn emphasized the need for collaborative solutions to labor challenges:
“In the early decades of the 21st century, employees, job applicants, and students are struggling to navigate a complex and fast changing economy. Business, government, and education leaders must embrace transformative policies that meet the challenges of globalization and technology-driven change. Our nation must create more effective workforce and education policies that enable all Americans to succeed throughout their working lives.”