As more adults pursue nondegree pathways for skill development and career advancement, and with the enactment of Workforce Pell in July 2025, which authorizes Pell Grants for training programs as short as 150 hours or eight weeks, the need for clear definitions and reliable data on noncredit education has become increasingly important. Establishing a standardized system will be key to turning these data into actionable information that helps New Jersey maximize the benefits of Workforce Pell.
Topic
New Jersey
“Work Trends RU” Podcast with Margo Chaly
Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast, featuring featuring Margo Chaly, Acting Secretary of the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, about the future of higher education in New Jersey. They discuss key challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities, including enrollment trends, financial sustainability, workforce alignment, and student success.
NJ’s newly crowded primaries prompt call for ranked choice voting
“The most obvious solution is to adopt ranked choice voting, which also would diminish the power of outside money to propel a single candidate to victory,” said Sass Rubin, the Rutgers professor. “At the very least, the legislature could adopt ranked choice voting for congressional races, which have been attracting the largest numbers of candidates.”
These factors may have affected Samsung’s choice to leave NJ for Texas
Samsung is leaving its Englewood Cliffs, NJ headquarters with 1,200 employees headed to Texas. Rutgers Bloustein School professor James Hughes didn’t mince words: “This is a tough deal for New Jersey. New Jersey has to confront this.” Even top schools and transit access “was not enough to keep them.”
Andrews, et.al assess heat and air quality in low-income housing
Standard air quality and heat monitors don’t capture the full picture, especially for vulnerable residents in low-income public housing. This study uses wearable devices and indoor sensors to reveal stark disparities in real-world exposure to extreme heat and PM2.5 pollution across different groups, with seniors and youth facing the highest risks.
New Jersey Announces Star-Studded Celebration Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn New Jersey into a destination, not just a transit hub,” said Dr. James Hughes.
Baraka, ex-gubernatorial candidate, seeks 4th term as mayor of N.J.’s largest city
“If you assume that the county line would have given those people a huge advantage, you would essentially come down to who came from the largest piece of the district,” said Julia Sass Rubin.
NJ activist sees fruits of her labor — many primary rivals
“If you assume that the county line would have given those people a huge advantage, you would essentially come down to who came from the largest piece of the district,” said Julia Sass Rubin.
Why Central Jersey rail towns are at the center of NJ’s housing boom
“New Jersey’s housing production roller coaster has been defined by long-term crests and falls since the 1940s,” James Hughes said. “The increase in construction during the 2020s so far suggests a potential turning point that adds important context to ongoing policy discussions about housing supply in New Jersey.”
New Jersey might go on a housing production tear this decade, Rutgers study predicts
“There’s a desire by the powers in Trenton that we at least maintain or stimulate more housing production,” Hughes said. “One of the sources of new housing has been obsolete office buildings. They have the land and utilities in place. It’s higher density housing, but policies like that can be very effective.”