There are employers across the state with 40,000 job openings and no qualified applicants to hire. In a program that's a first in New Jersey, there's a plan to provide employers with job-seekers.

"We need to change the way we provide education ...," said state Senate President Stephen Sweeney at the introduction of the Rowan Work & Learn Consortium Tuesday at the Rowan College at Gloucester County campus in Deptford Township.

"If you listen to manufacturers in this state there are 40,000 jobs going unfilled because we don't have the workers for them. We haven't trained them. This (program) does exactly what we want."

Officials say the employee shortage is focused in seven main areas: Advanced manufacturing; financial services industry; transportation, logistics and distribution; healthcare; biopharmaceutical life sciences; hospitality, retail and tourism and construction management.

The "bundled" consortium "will not only help to prepare our graduates with the education, experience and credentials they need to enter a high-demand field, but it will strengthen our local workforce by making it easier and more rewarding for our talented students to remain in the state after graduation," said RCGC President Frederick Keating.

"Business and labor agree this is the right way to do it," Sweeney added.

Who is involved

The new program is described as a "customizable approach to higher education," bringing together vocational schools, county colleges, four-year universities and local business partners to produce graduates ready to be hired within high-demand positions, according to officials.

The consortium includes Rowan College at Gloucester County, Rowan University, Gloucester County Institute of Technology, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce and Gloucester County's Department of Workforce Development and Economic Development.

"We need to build the workforce of tomorrow," Sweeney said. "We all need to be thinking outside of the box. The partners here all are willing to do that."

"It's a simplistic idea, but the hard part was getting all six pieces into one collective vision. We have put together a complete consortium," Keating said.

He described it as "one collective vision" uniting business and education.

The program "will provide the students of the Gloucester County Institute of Technology the opportunity to continue on their career pathway while gaining valuable credentials, certificates and advanced training after high school," GCIT Superintendent of Schools Michael Dickens said.

7 industries in need

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has identified seven business areas in the state where employees are in high demand.

Business partners from each of those areas will serve to provide the consortium guidance on the certifications and training needed by students in each of the work areas.

Participating industry partners include Paulsboro Refining Company, representing the advanced manufacturing industry; South Jersey Federal Credit Union, representing the financial services industry; Owens and Minor, representing transportation, logistics and distribution; Rowan Medicine, representing the healthcare industry; Wedgewood Pharmacy, representing the biopharmaceutical life sciences industry; the Marriott Glassboro, representing the hospitality, retail and tourism industry; and, Greyhawk, representing the construction management industry.

"We're really excited because it's in Gloucester County, we're in Gloucester County it's a great partnership," said Kristi M. Moore, community relations specialist at the Paulsboro Refining Company. "We are getting young adults who are coming in, finishing the program having the skills and knowledge to work in the refinery and become a valuable part of our organization."

How it all works

Officials say the program represents the first "packaged consortium" between a two-year college and a four-year university in the state.

What's unique is the concept of partnering higher-education institutions and stacking industry-valued credentials to allow students to become marketable faster while providing flexibility for "stop out" points if necessary.

Each academic year completed will result in credentials verified by industry leaders as well as the Workforce Development Board of Gloucester County and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

All academic paths included in the consortium will support an industry-specific certification, an associate degree, a certificate of undergraduate study and culminate in a bachelor's degree, according to RCGC's official release on the program.

The students involved with have advisors to guide them. The participants will also be involved in internships at businesses in their areas of study to get real-world experience. This also, officials say, gives businesses a better look at their prospective employees.

A common need

The Rowan program is a first in the country.

"Businesses and industries are in need of a skilled labor workforce and this program provides our students, both traditional and nontraditional, with a pathway to earning affordable and accessible degrees and certificates," said Gloucester County Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger.

"This is something we really do need," Sweeney said after Tuesday's ceremony.

Sweeney, who is credited with helping the consortium become a reality, said he plans to introduce legislation which will help create similar programs around the state.

"It's something I want to see in every county in the state," Sweeney said.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips