The next big thing: With an emerging

The next big thing:

With an emerging renewable energy sector and a reviving tourism industry, South Jersey is bouncing back

New Jersey is well-known for its extensive coastlines, with the famous Jersey Shore spanning about 141 miles of Oceanfront from Perth Amboy in North Jersey to Cape May in the south. But with close proximity to major urban centers of New York and Philadelphia and with access to the I-95 and I-295, New Jersey is also a hub for the Eastern United States.

Within the state, the South Jersey economy continues to diversify, with a highly educated workforce and a strong transportation network. In addition to its growing credentials in the life sciences and warehousing and logistics, the region has found itself at the center of the next big thing: the advancement of renewable energy with the development of three offshore wind farms totaling over 3,700 megawatts and located off the coast of Atlantic City.

“Not since the 1970s and the introduction of the gaming industry to Atlantic City has South Jersey seen an economic driver of this magnitude. The bulk of the project work is based in Gloucester and Salem counties but eventually activities will spread to Atlantic and Cape May counties as well,” Marlene Asselta, president of the Southern New Jersey Development Council (SNJDC) told Invest: in an interview. Landscape South Jersey had a population of just over 1.8 million as of 2017, spread across the seven counties of Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cumberland, Cape May and Salem. The largest industries in the state but also South Jersey include financial services, transportation and logistics and life sciences.

The history of New Jersey has shaped its economy as it stands today. One of the original 13 colonies, the state played a key role during the American Revolution. Throughout the years, there have been significant land preservation efforts, earning the state the reputation of a farming community and the moniker of The Garden State. In 2003, the state preserved a record 20,000-acre tract of farmland. New Jersey also has deep roots in science, with Albert Einstein having moved to the area in 1935 and a Nobel Prize award for New Jersey scientists who found the Big Bang echo 40 years later.

Now, New Jersey has the highest concentration of scientists and engineers in the world, with pharmaceuticals and life sciences employing about 73,000 people in 2018. Bayer, Pfizer and Novartis are all based in the state. And although it might be believed that New Jersey’s proximity to New York would render ( )