Nov 15, 2016 04:44 AM EST By Julio Cachila, UniversityHerald Reporter

In the hopes of bridging the current unemployment gap, labor officials from New Jersey have launched a guide to certifications and degrees that will help job-seekers get employed in a job that pays well, and will also help employers find people who are skilled enough for the tasks they require.

The guide, called the Industry-Valued Credentials list, includes nearly 200 credentials and degrees that are currently in high demand, reports the Asbury Park Press. The list was developed in collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, employers, and colleges.

The list, which can be accessed here, contains a wide variety of credentials or degrees that can be attained by job-seekers who have not acquired a four-year college degree. These credentials will allow job-seekers to get a better career, said Aaron R. Fichtner, New Jersey Department of Labor acting commissioner.

"We believe that most New Jerseyans are going to need some secondary credential if they are going to have a good career," he said.

Credentials or certificates in the list include: Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Food and Beverage Executive, Special Law Enforcement Officer, Class One, Substitute Teacher Certification by New Jersey School District, Certificate in Social Worker Health Care, and many others.

These certifications will help job-seekers land a job in the industries that are currently hiring. These industries are:

• Advanced manufacturing
• Architecture and construction
• Education
• Finance
• Health and social services
• Human resources
• Law and public safety
• Life sciences
• Services
• Retail, hospitality and tourism
• Technology
• Transportation, logistics and distribution

Experts estimate that by 2020, about 65 percent of job openings will require some sort of certification in addition to a high school diploma. They also expect that, if current employment trends continue, there will be around 62 million high-quality job openings in the U.S. by 2025, but there will only be 39 million workers with the credentials that those jobs require.

With this guide, the New Jersey labor department hopes to minimize the current and expected future employment gap. Fichtner said he is hoping that students and job seekers will be using the guide as a tool to make better choices regarding their education and careers.

"[W]e hope it's a long-term effort to understand what employers really need," Fichtner said.

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