Aaron Fichtner, President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges

In an interview with Invest:, Aaron Fichtner, president of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, said that collaboration and innovation are driving the transformation of the state’s community colleges. “Over the last five to seven years, our 18 community colleges have been undergoing a major transformation, collaborating and innovating on a massive scale, not only with each other but also with external partners.”

What changes or milestones have most significantly impacted the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, and in what ways?

Over the last five to seven years, our 18 community colleges have been undergoing a major transformation, collaborating and innovating on a massive scale, not only with each other but also with external partners. This past year has largely been a continuation of that transformation, though the pace of innovation has definitely accelerated. While I wouldn’t say there was one defining milestone, the key takeaway is that momentum is building, and we’re moving faster than ever to rethink how community colleges serve students and communities.

How are collaborations between community colleges — and also with government agencies, educational institutions, organizations, and businesses — evolving?

As community colleges, we understand that our future depends on collaboration. We’re uniquely positioned in terms of our mission to serve as key connectors to a range of partners. For example, we’re positioned between high schools that are helping students transition to postsecondary education and four-year institutions that many of our students eventually transfer to. We also have perhaps the strongest partnerships in higher education with industry and the business community, as many of our students go directly into the workforce after earning their credentials. This includes collaborations with labor unions, which play a critical role in our state’s economy.

Additionally, we work closely with community-based organizations, workforce development groups, and government entities to help New Jerseyans access the education and training they need for careers that support families and enable thriving lives. Our mission requires us to engage deeply with these partners, and our colleges have embraced their role as connectors, linking high schools, four-year institutions, employers, and government in a way that few other entities can. If you mapped out the network of relationships our colleges have, it would be quite impressive.

Collectively, our 18 colleges serve about 240,000 students annually, which represents a significant share of the state’s population. While each college operates independently and is locally driven to meet regional workforce needs, together, we have a powerful statewide reach. The economy is evolving rapidly, and people’s expectations of higher education are shifting. We are responding by rethinking how we deliver value — to students and to employer partners — by focusing on both short-term credentials and long-term academic and career pathways.

How are you helping grow New Jersey’s life sciences sector?

NJBioFutures is a perfect example of the kind of collaborative innovation I was referring to earlier. Through conversations with the life sciences industry, particularly Johnson & Johnson, we identified a growing need in New Jersey for workers trained in aseptic manufacturing. These are cleanroom environments where employees handle samples and materials used to create personalized cancer treatments. Johnson & Johnson believes that their innovations could lead to a cure for cancer, but they need a workforce trained to support that effort.

In response, we brought together Raritan Valley, Middlesex, and Mercer Community Colleges to create the facilities, curriculum, and capacity to train workers for this emerging industry. Much of the training is non-credit, but we are committed to ensuring that students who begin in these programs can continue their education if they choose, whether that’s earning an associate’s, a bachelor’s, or even a graduate degree. Our philosophy is that there should be no dead ends; we build stackable credentials so learners can always keep progressing.

We were actually honored at an NJ Biz Healthcare Heroes event for our work on NJBioFutures. While we’re not on the front lines like doctors and nurses, we play a vital role in preparing the people who support healthcare innovation and delivery. Community colleges in New Jersey educate more healthcare workers — nurses, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists — than almost any other sector in the state.

Could you expand on dual enrollment?

Dual enrollment is crucial for New Jersey’s future. First, we believe — along with many others — that more New Jerseyans need some form of postsecondary credential to succeed. Not everyone needs or wants a four-year degree, but the data is clear: a postsecondary experience increases one’s chance of achieving a stable, rewarding career.

Second, the cost of higher education continues to be a barrier. While our state has strong financial aid programs, we still need to find ways to reduce the burden. Dual enrollment offers a solution: by allowing high-school students to earn college credits, often at little to no cost, we’re helping them get a head start and reduce the total cost of college.

Every one of our colleges’ partners with multiple high schools. In some cases, students even earn associate degrees before graduating from high school. But what’s most powerful is the impact on students who may not have seen college in their future. Earning even a few credits gives them confidence and shifts their mindset. While we’re proud to serve high-achieving students, we’re especially committed to reaching those who might not consider higher education without programs like this.

We’re also working to address equity issues. Lower-income students and students of color often have fewer dual enrollment opportunities, especially when schools pass on program costs to families. We’re seeking resources to eliminate those barriers and ensure equitable access.

Nationally, the Lumina Foundation has set a goal for 70% of adults to have a postsecondary credential by 2040. We’re determined to do more than our share to help New Jersey reach that benchmark. As we pursue this goal, we’re equally committed to helping students develop durable, essential skills — communication, problem-solving, teamwork — that employers value and that help individuals adapt to change, including technological shifts like AI.

Could you share which priorities from Vision 2028 you are actively working on today?

The pillars of Vision 2028 have evolved into ongoing, sustained efforts. One focus was on essential skills, which has driven much of our work around general education and the humanities. Another pillar centered on building clear pathways to good jobs, which led to our Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative. This effort includes partnerships with the state’s largest business organizations and has received support through several state budgets.

That initiative has already produced significant results, including NJBioFutures, the NJ Film Academy, and collaborations in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and data science. Vision 2028 may not be mentioned as often anymore, but its ideas are embedded in the work we do today.

We’ve also intensified efforts to connect students with social services like food, housing, and mental health support through initiatives like Community to Opportunity, supported by the Tepper Foundation. These wraparound supports are critical; if a student is hungry or housing insecure, they are much less likely to stay enrolled. Addressing these basic needs is foundational to student success.

Last year, we released our Opportunity Agenda, which builds on Vision 2028 and outlines a shared blueprint for our colleges. Since our Council is composed of each college’s president and board chair, we work collaboratively and with consensus to advance this collective mission. We lead by listening, connecting, and aligning efforts across our 18 institutions.

What are the key opportunities and priorities for the Council and community colleges over the next two to three years?

Looking forward, our biggest opportunities lie in continuing to evolve and deepen our partnerships, especially public-private ones like those behind the Film Academy and NJBioFutures. We also want to expand flexible, stackable pathways that begin in high school, continue through community college, and transfer seamlessly to four-year institutions.

We recently held a statewide Community College Opportunity Summit, which featured national speakers and robust discussions about these priorities. One major area of focus will be strengthening our collaboration with workforce programs and community organizations. Many unemployed or underemployed people interact with state systems like unemployment insurance, and we want to create seamless bridges so they can quickly gain the skills needed to reenter the workforce.

Our broader vision is to build what I call a “system with a small ‘s’.” Our colleges operate independently but collaborate deeply, and the Council serves as a unifying force. We help coordinate efforts, build statewide partnerships, and represent the collective voice of our institutions in conversations with government, business, labor, and beyond. Our commitment is to ensure New Jerseyans — now and in the future — have real opportunities to gain the education and skills they need to thrive.