Somerset County hosts the world headquarters of leading global telecommunications and pharmaceutical/medical product corporations with numerous high-end, skilled professional occupations in finance, engineering, the sciences and technology. However, the "Blue Chip County" is concerned about its ability to attract, train, develop, and retain the highly-skilled workforce needed by the area's major employers. Thus, Bound Brook High School, Somerset Medical Center, and Ethicon, Inc.—a local Johnson & Johnson operating company—formed the Bound Brook Bridge to Employment (BTE) partnership, a collaborative endeavor to create and foster educational programs for its students that will provide a better understanding of the health care industry. Forty students participated in a variety of activities, including classroom guest lectures from Ethicon's scientists and HR Directors, integrated science and business projects, and the Summer Nursing Camp—a one-week camp for student "nurses" at Somerset Medical Center.
