The basics:
- NJIT introduces partnerships with companies for graduate education
- Employers receive 20% tuition discount for cohorts of five or more
- T&M Associates, Colliers Engineering join as first partners
- Program upskills engineers and strengthens New Jersey’s talent pipeline
New Jersey Institute of Technology launched a new academic–industry partnership model designed to make graduate education more accessible for working engineers while also addressing the state’s workforce needs.
The initiative offers companies a 20% tuition discount when they enroll cohorts of five or more employees in NJIT’s graduate programs – with opportunities to tailor coursework to their specific business goals.
On Nov. 10, T&M Associates, a national engineering firm based in Middletown (which NJBIZ has profiled), became the first to sign a memorandum of understanding under the new program.
NJIT President Teik Lim noted how education today is holistic.
“It’s not just on the backs of faculty — we need industry partnerships to educate students better. The fact that T&M is sending their engineers here, there’s a whole host of benefits that can come from it,” said Lim. “They are professional engineers. They will be rubbing shoulders with our traditional students here on campus; they can learn from each other, and that’s part of the education that we offer. This holistic education makes them a better professional once they graduate.”
Expanding fast
T&M Chairman Gary Dahms expressed his company’s excitement about the collaboration.
“I think this is going to enhance our staff, and this is an opportunity for our staff to continue their education and career progression with a great partner at NJIT,” said Dahms, of the firm’s more than 450 professionals across offices in New Jersey, the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. “We already have in place a tuition reimbursement program at T&M. This opens doors even further, because it gives more value to the potential students or employees who want to take advantage.”
“Our partnership with T&M could be a model for how we and other universities scale up graduate education,” Lim added.
And it is already expanding and gaining traction. Holmdel-based Colliers Engineering & Design, which has more than 3,000 professionals under its umbrella, has also signed an agreement with NJIT.
“This partnership between Colliers Engineering & Design and NJIT represents the kind of collaboration our industry needs; one that bridges education and practice,” said Colliers Engineering Executive Chairman Richard Maser. “By investing in workforce development through this program, we’re not only supporting our employees’ growth but also helping to cultivate the next generation of engineering leaders.”
Building bridges
NJIT stresses that programs like these address a growing workforce challenge for industry — upskilling current professionals amid rapid changes in materials, infrastructure systems, sustainability and digital design.
By creating affordable, flexible pathways to graduate-level education, NJIT helps firms retain and advance their employees while ensuring the regional talent pipeline remains strong.
Learn more
More information on the program and course offerings is available here.
The collaboration also creates a two-way exchange between academia and industry. Engineers bring back new methods and technologies that improve project quality and efficiency, while NJIT faculty receive real-time insights into emerging industry needs.
Taha Marhaba, chair of NJIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said programs like this “bridge the gap between academic innovation and professional practice.” He noted the importance of helping engineers stay current with emerging tools and frameworks shaping civil and environmental engineering, such as data-driven modeling, AI-enhanced analysis, and resilient design techniques.
