June 18 2025 at 2:07 PM | NJ Pathways

NJ Pathways Project Highlight: CDL Owner Operator Certificate Program 

Center of Workforce Innovation for Manufacturing & Supply Chain Management
Camden County College, Sussex County Community College, Hudson County Community College 

The CDL Owner Operator Certificate Program, led by Camden County College, is an innovative NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities project designed to empower women, minorities, and veteran truck drivers to transition into entrepreneurship as independent owner-operators. With strong collaboration across education, workforce, and industry sectors, this project is helping to drive equity, access, and business ownership in New Jersey’s transportation sector. 

In partnership with Hudson County Community College, Sussex County Community College, and organizations such as the Task Force Movement, Minority Professional Truckers Association, Dixon Center, and the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ), the project connects non-credit and credit training with mentorship and wraparound supports to build sustainable career pathways. 

Project Highlights: 

  • Stackable Credential Development: Sussex County Community College is developing a 30-credit academic certificate in CDL Owner Operations. Camden and Hudson are piloting a six-module non-credit training program scheduled for Summer 2025.
  • Early Engagement Through Dual Enrollment: In collaboration with High Point Regional, Newton, and Wallkill Valley High Schools, students will soon have access to dual enrollment courses, exposing them to trucking careers while still in high school. 
  • Real-World Learning and Mentorship: The project includes the development of an Owner-Operator Training Academy which will provide participants with an Owner-Operator tool kit, and the establishment of an Owner-Operator Mentorship Program. Key components include a professional development series, prior learning assessments (PLA), and dual enrollment offerings in high schools. 
  • Prior Learning Assessment (PLA): All college partners are working to align non-credit modules with credit-bearing pathways through PLA, enabling students to accelerate credential attainment based on their experience and training. 
  • Inclusive Professional Development: AACCNJ is delivering quarterly professional development for instructors, emphasizing inclusive pedagogy, entrepreneurship, and the lived experiences of aspiring owner-operators. Events such as Fireside Chats and a Trucking & Transportation Leadership Roundtable are strengthening curriculum relevance and mentorship design. 
  • Community-Based Recruitment and Support: Collaborations with Project Self-Sufficiency, the Workforce Development Board of Northwest New Jersey, and community-based organizations are key to ensuring adult learners and career changers have access to training. 
  • Stakeholder Convening: An annual AACCNJ-led event, “Driven by Success: COI”, will bring together industry leaders, educators, and partners on October 24, 2025, for policy discussion, networking, and expanding workforce connections within the transportation sector. 

By aligning educational institutions, industry experts, and community partners, the CDL Owner Operator Certificate Program is a model for how NJ Pathways transforms training into entrepreneurship. It is preparing New Jersey residents not only to fill jobs—but to own the future of the state’s transportation economy.