Senior leaders from Johnson & Johnson, academic leaders, industry professionals, business groups, and local New Jersey policymakers gathered at the Raritan Valley Community College Workforce Training Center in February 2025 to celebrate the launch of NJBioFutures.
NJBioFutures is a public-private workforce development coalition launched by Johnson & Johnson and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges to develop a skilled talent pipeline that meets the evolving needs of the cell and gene therapeutics sector. Three New Jersey community colleges will lead the effort, offering specialized curriculum and training for complex cell and gene therapy production: Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC), Middlesex College, and Mercer County Community College.
Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato and Chief Technical Operations & Risk Officer Kathy Wengel joined New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy, New Jersey Department of Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo, and Senator Andrew Zwicker to address the importance of the initiative.
“This collaboration is needed and inspiring,” said Johnson & Johnson Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joaquin Duato. “Our goal as a company is to [deliver] transformational medicines and medical technologies … and manufacturing is part of that, especially the specialized manufacturing that we are doing right here in Raritan with cell therapy.”
Johnson & Johnson’s $1 million contribution will support the development of industry-forward curricula and training, and lab facilities on each college campus, including an over 22,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Workforce Training Center on the RVCC campus in Branchburg, New Jersey.
“To invest in the next generations of STEM talent, whether that comes from young folks coming up to education or those folks who want to take a turn in their career or re-enter the workforce, is such an important source of talent for us that this investment is very special to me,” said Kathy Wengel, Johnson & Johnson’s Executive Vice President, Chief Technical Operations & Risk Officer.
The future was also in the room that day, with RVCC student Josue Martinez Hernandez providing remarks on the impact the program has made on his career path. So far, he has successfully earned a certificate in GMP Professional Training and is excited to enroll in the Aseptic Cleaning certification.
“As a first-generation college student from El Salvador, I never imagined I’d have the chance to break into the biopharma industry,” said Josue Martinez Hernandez, RVCC student. “I was introduced to this incredible STEM initiative… which has completely changed my career path.”
New Jersey has long been a hub for healthcare innovation, and with eight of the world’s top ten pharmaceutical companies operating here, including Johnson & Johnson, the state is uniquely positioned to lead in cell and gene therapy innovation. NJBioFutures is a tangible step that government and industry partners are taking to develop the next generation of professionals who will solve the biggest healthcare challenges of our time.
“Thanks to the help of our many partners in state government and the private sector, our state’s innovation – and life sciences – industry is flourishing,” said Tammy Murphy. “The future of groundbreaking discoveries is right here in New Jersey with public-private partnerships like NJBioFutures. I look forward to the benefits this program will bring to our students and our entire state.”
By working alongside community colleges, life sciences organizations, and workforce development leaders, Johnson & Johnson is proud to help create new pathways to high-quality jobs while strengthening New Jersey’s position as a leader in biopharmaceutical innovation.
Discover more about the NJBioFutures launch by watching the video that highlights this exciting new initiative.