Bridge to Employment Initiative

In 1992, Johnson & Johnson Corporation established the Bridge to Employment program (BTE) in an effort to reform education by communicating to at-risk students that learning can be meaningful, engaging, and relevant. The BTE program helps young people build solid futures by introducing them to a broad array of careers in health care and providing them with real world experiences. In the summer of 2003, the AED National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) was selected by J&J to become a partner in the management and evolution of the BTE initiative. NIWL will help the BTE program:

Build long-term partnerships among business, educators, community groups, and parents to have a meaningful impact on students’ future success in the workplace;
Prepare at-risk young people to meet the challenges and requirements of the health care industry and today's complex society;
Reinforce parental involvement as a valuable link between young people and their schools; and
Recognize and advance community efforts in locations that are exemplary in helping young people to begin building careers.

BTE sites are located in some of the most economically disadvantaged communities in the U.S. While each site is unique in its structure and implementation, BTE program excellence stems from use of a common core of school-to-career principles. These include promoting high standards of academic learning for all students, providing opportunities for contextual learning, and connecting students with adults in the workplace.

Current BTE sites include: Bound Brook, NJ; Kennett Square, PA; Los Angeles, CA; Milpitas, CA; New Brunswick, NJ; Puerto Rico; Roanoke, VA; and San Jose, CA.