2. a. There is established in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development the Talent Network Program. The purpose of this program is to develop centralized sources of intelligence about the workforce needs of the State‘s key industries by building employer-driven partnerships between employers, educational institutions, and other organizations concerned with workforce development.

b. To fulfill the goal of the Talent Network Program, the department shall annually award grant funds to nonprofit organizations, industry associations and post-secondary educational institutions, who demonstrate knowledge and expertise in one of the State’s key industries. The department may continue grant agreements with talent networks which were awarded prior to the enactment of P.L.2019, c.125 (C. 34:15D-28 et al.).

c. Each nonprofit organization, industry association and post-secondary educational institution awarded grant funds through the Talent Network Program pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall:

(1) engage and convene employers located throughout the State to identify common skill gaps and workforce needs within the targeted industry;

(2) engage and convene key education and workforce providers located throughout the State to identify the capacity of local partners to meet industry workforce needs;

(3) form partnerships that are employer-driven and that include at least three key education and workforce providers;

(4) create a strategy for building and sustaining such partnerships through commitments from employers, workforce organizations, educational institutions, training providers, community and faith-based organizations, and other key stakeholders;

(5) facilitate the development of a workforce plan to respond to identified workforce needs and opportunities;

(6) host an annual industry summit to gather intelligence and inform key workforce stakeholders of essential employer needs;

(7) contribute to the department’s development of an industry-valued credential and degree list and career awareness materials;

(8) maintain a website and a presence on social media to disseminate industry intelligence and labor market information to job seekers, students, employers, and education and workforce stakeholders;

(9) report annually to the department and the Legislature the status of the industry’s workforce needs; and

(10) perform any other duties as required by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.

d. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Talent Network Program shall be funded through federal job training funds, as defined in section 4 of P.L.1989, c.293 (C. 34:15C-1). The department is authorized to use any additional funds necessary to fulfill the provisions of this section, as determined by the commissioner, from the Workforce Development Partnership Fund moneys reserved for the Talent Network Program pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1992, c.43 (C. 34:15D-9).

L.2019, c.125, s.2.