The Office of Career Readiness provides leadership to advance innovative and performance-driven educational opportunities that promote equity and excellence for all students to become productive members in a global society. This is achieved by providing guidance to schools on implementing New Jersey's Student Learning Standard Nine, 21st Century Life and Careers. Standard Nine includes the career-ready practices; personal financial literacy; career awareness, exploration and preparation; and career and technical education. The office also provides resources to assist educators in integrating the career-ready practices in current curriculum.

In addition, the office is responsible for the statewide implementation of secondary and postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) programs. This includes collaboration with the state workforce development system, institutions of higher education, business and industry and other state agencies to create rigorous programs of study aligned to workforce needs and career pathways. The office is responsible for approving all CTE secondary programs in the 16 Career Clusters® and administers funds provided under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The office also approves private career schools in conjunction with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.