Health care and life sciences are key drivers of New Jersey’s economy, and sustaining their growth requires a strong, skilled workforce. The state’s county vocational-technical schools play an important role in developing that talent, with health-related career programs among the most sought-after and largest offerings for career and technical education (CTE) students.
Student interest in this vast field is a good sign, because workforce demand continues to grow in all aspects of healthcare. Employers recognize that career and technical education will help them create a pipeline of well-qualified, technically trained employees.
County vocational-technical schools partner with health care and life science employers across the state to help bridge that gap. These partnerships not only ensure the curriculum and equipment match the industry standard, but also provide opportunities for hands-on, work-based learning in an actual healthcare setting. Industry leaders further provide invaluable mentorship for students and serve as contacts in the field for future employment.
One example of a successful school-employer partnership is in Monmouth County, where the Monmouth County Vocational School District recently named MTF Biologics its 2025 Business Partner of the Year in recognition of the nonprofit’s contributions to shape future health and life science professionals.
Inspiring Innovators in Health and Life Sciences
Based in Edison, MTF Biologics is a global nonprofit organization that saves and heals lives by utilizing donated tissue to serve patients and advance medical science. The nonprofit processes allograft tissues for use in clinical applications, from aesthetics and chronic wound care to sports medicine and reconstructive surgery.
Since 2021, professionals from MTF Biologics have served on the advisory board for Monmouth County Vocational School District’s Biotechnology High School, providing industry insight that has strengthened instruction in a highly specialized area of the life sciences that uses biotechnology to derive medications and medical products from living organisms.
“MTF Biologics has been a welcome addition to our advisory board for the last four years,” said Sharon Bryant, Ed.D., principal of Biotechnology High School. “Their professionals’ insight and guidance have grown our curriculum and sparked skills development for future careers in the scientific industry.”
In recent years, the partnership expanded to include direct student mentorship through the district’s work-based Senior Mentorship program. Students completed research projects, toured laboratories and clean rooms, and met with professionals across the organization to better understand the steps involved in moving donated tissue from acquisition to final preparation for patients.
Through these experiences, students were introduced to a wide range of career pathways, including donor services, quality and process engineering, research, patents and packaging. Eight students have participated in MTF Biologics mentorships over the past two years, with six additional students from the Class of 2026 currently engaged in on-site, work-based learning.
MTF Biologics leaders say the partnership aligns closely with the organization’s mission and long-term goals.
“Supporting students as they explore the world of biotechnology aligns perfectly with our mission to save and heal lives,” said Jason Korth, senior portfolio manager at MTF Biologics.
Inviting Students In to Learn on the Job
MTF Biologics’ commitment to Monmouth students is exceptional, but it is not the exception.
Across New Jersey, health and life sciences operations are investing staff time and expertise to help students gain early exposure to professional standards, regulated environments and real-world expectations
Morris County Vocational School District named Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy out of Randolph as its 2025 Business Partner of the Year for offering internships to students enrolled in a range of career programs, including in health care sciences, sports medicine and exercise science.
According to Mary Hammond, the work-based learning coordinator at Morris County Vocational School District, the district’s partnership with Ivy Rehab is dynamic given the company’s growing network of outpatient physical, occupational, speech and ABA therapy clinics. With several locations and types of therapies provided, Ivy Rehab can accommodate a significant number of district students eager to further their learning and explore career options in healthcare.
“The mentors and staff at Ivy Rehab welcome our students and provide great experiences and skill sets,” said Hammond. “Ivy Rehab allows our students to interact with patients as well as assist in patient treatments. Such experiences elevate the students’ communication skills and clinical knowledge.”
Union County Vocational Technical School’s (UCVTS) supervisor of Career and Technical Education, Dr. Anne Marie McNamara, said work-based learning opportunities provided by Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in Summit have a lasting impact on students in the district’s Academy for Allied Health Sciences. The health center’s willingness to model industry standards and practices for students earned it the UCVTS 2025 Business Partner of the Year honor.
“Work-based learning serves as a bridge between classroom instruction and real-world application” added McNamara. “These experiences not only strengthen students’ readiness for post-secondary pathways but also inspire them to pursue their goals with confidence and purpose.”
The Atlantic Health Overlook team cited mutual benefits of the partnership.
“The entire team at Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center is profoundly grateful for this collaboration and our shared commitment to education and health care. Together, we are creating a strong foundation for our future healthcare providers and leaders. We are proud that we are giving these students a window into their career interests and are creating strong connections that will guide them to success,” said Stephanie Schwartz, senior vice president at Atlantic Health and president of Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center.
Strengthening CTE Statewide through Partnerships
These local collaborations are part of a broader statewide effort to align career and technical education with workforce demand. Each year, more than 20,000 students from across New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical schools participate in work-based learning experiences supported by thousands of employer partnerships, helping students earn industry-valued credentials and prepare for postsecondary education or direct entry into the workforce.
As healthcare needs continue to evolve, partnerships like those in Monmouth, Morris and Union counties highlight the role employers play in preparing students to contribute to New Jersey’s health and life sciences sectors.
Making a Difference in your own Community
Employers interested in making a contribution of their own can partner with a county vocational-technical school. Get started by filling out a short form at https://careertechnj.org/working-with-employers/.
This article originally appeared Jan. 26, 2026 in NJBIZ.
