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(TRENTON) — The Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee yesterday approved legislation focused on supporting New Jersey and its workforce as the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Industry grows. Bill A4935 would create an apprenticeship program for students in the field of AI to hone their skills. Bill A4888 would assess the impact of AI on the labor market to identify ways to address job loss, and find opportunities where AI training could further bolster the workforce. Assembly members Reginald Atkins, Shanique Speight and Barbara McCann Stamato sponsored both bills.
Bill A4935 would establish an AI Apprenticeship Program in the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL). Under the bill, the program would collaborate with AI companies to offer apprenticeship opportunities, facilitate partnerships between employers and schools, and assist employers in the establishing apprenticeships. Additionally, it would create an AI apprenticeship tax credit program to support employers who host a qualifying apprentice for at least 20 calendar weeks.
“The AI-driven market is rapidly expanding, and we must learn to leverage this technology effectively,” said Assemblyman Atkins (D-Union). “As we evaluate the impact on our current workforce, we must also ensure that students, who will soon be looking for jobs, are equipped not only to thrive in an AI-integrated world but to truly understand the intricacies of the technology they will work with.”
“Through this apprenticeship program, we are giving our students a crucial advantage in the evolving labor market,” said Assemblywoman Speight (D-Essex, Hudson). “When companies receive hundreds of resumes, we want New Jersey students to stand out, not only because they are capable and driven, but because they have the experience necessary to hit the ground running.”
As AI continues to transform the technology sector, Bill A4888 would establish the AI and Labor Market Study Commission. This commission would combine its members’ expertise with that of other studies, to assess how AI has affected jobs and ways to mitigate employee displacement. It would identify “high-risk” jobs in danger of being lost to automation, and strategize ways to keep workers as active participants in the economy. Through coordinated efforts with the NJ Department of Education and the NJDOL, programs would be developed with the goal of assisting displaced workers through education and training opportunities. Additionally, they would provide at least two reports a year to the Governor and Legislature with recommendations to address job displacement and job development.
“It is clear AI is reshaping the labor market, and with the Commission we can find ways to address these changes, and help individuals in vulnerable positions navigate the next steps in their career with the right tools,” said Assemblywoman McCann Stamato (D-Hudson). “As we continue to invest in AI, we also have a responsibility to ensure that we continue to support the many individuals that have made New Jersey the business powerhouse that it is today.”
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