New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) to Present at Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus
CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J. (September 13, 2017) – John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., CEO of New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP), a not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers, will be presenting to the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus at 10 a.m. on September 19th at the Paterson Museum on challenges facing manufacturers, the impact the manufacturing sector has on the state economy and closing the skills gap.
Dr. Donald Sebastian, Ph.D., President & CEO, New Jersey Innovation Institute and NJMEP Board of Directors Founding and current Member, will also present with Dr. Kennedy. Dr. Sebastian’s professional expertise is in integrated product and process design, polymer processing, and reaction engineering, with a special emphasis in computer-based technologies for research and engineering. He was the proposal author and founder of NJMEP.
NJMEP has been a strong advocate and partner of the Manufacturing Caucus and works closely with legislators across the state, including Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Caucus Chairman, Senator Bob Gordon on the importance job creation, education, sustainability, production and innovation has on the manufacturing sector.
“NJMEP will help bridge the gap between manufacturers and vocational-technical schools in order to strengthen and expand manufacturing in our state and help close the manufacturing skills gap,” says Dr. Kennedy. “We support the vocational-technical schools and the more involvement and investment we can make, the more value they will bring to the critical manufacturing and STEM industries. By working closely together, NJMEP will aid in the recruitment and expansion of the talent pipeline, and help create new pathways and opportunities for countless residents to find stable and rewarding middle-class jobs.
The Manufacturing Caucus is tasked with developing legislation and strategies to make New Jersey more competitive for manufacturers to expand and locate their operations in New Jersey. The work of the Manufacturing Caucus will lead to policies that will grow the manufacturing sector in New Jersey.
Dr. Kennedy adds, “We look forward to continuing our work with the Legislators, NJBIA and the NJ Council of County-Vocational-Technical Schools on these continued efforts. The policies developed by the Caucus will be key to leveraging and scaling successful programs that align our education and manufacturers to meet both regional and statewide workforce needs in critical manufacturing sectors. NJMEP is proud to support these initiatives that will make a real difference in the lives of workers and their families.”
About NJMEP:
NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $3.4 billion in value. Services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development.
Contact: Joelle Speranza, The S3 Agency, jsperanza@thes3agency.com, 973-257-5533