News

Businesses and Educators Plan Common Approach to Goals

July 18, 2005
GODFREY- In today’s changing workforce, employers are seeking well-qualified employees for both current and future workforce needs. Educators want to prepare students for good careers that will keep them in the area. These two goals are not unrelated, according to members of the southwestern Illinois workforce community, and should be accomplished through a cooperative and coordinated approach.

The Growth Association of Southwestern Illinois recently hosted Charles Juneau, co-chair of the Workforce21 Connecting Business and Education Task Force and member of the Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board, to update the chamber on its efforts to build stronger partnerships between business and education. The task force was formed as a result of the findings of a regional community audit completed in 2003 by the Madison-Bond and the Mid America Workforce Investment Boards. The audit examines the past, present and future of economic and workforce development in the counties of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington and also identified ten challenges for the region. Several of the challenges addressed education.

The task force is currently engaged in inventorying business and education partnerships in this seven-county region. The information gleaned from the survey will populate an interactive database that will allow schools and businesses in southwestern Illinois to enter their information on a website that will be created for potential partnerships. Growth Association of Southwestern Illinois President, Monica Bristow, said the first steps are encouraging. “The businesses that shared their stories at our meeting about partnering with schools in such programs as mentoring and internships were very encouraging to others,” said Bristow. “Our main goal is to provide a forum to build more partnerships and solidify current ones. It’s helpful to hear how easy it is, how businesses got started.” Bristow and Juneau, along with members and staff of the workforce boards, are on a mission to encourage businesses and schools to work together to provide young people with real-world business experiences. Opening the door for local young people to find employment in the area strengthens the region’s workforce, and that’s good for both the business community and the region’s overall economic development.

Other areas with which the Business and Education Task Force is concerned include job shadowing, internships, mentoring opportunities, summer employment, and job fairs.

In 2004, Jim Pennekamp, chair of the Workforce21 Supporting Economic Development Task Force and member of the Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board, was also invited to present information to the Growth Association. This group is focusing its efforts on entrepreneurial issues and has hired a consultant to perform a “gap analysis” of the seven-county region that will assist with identifying and creating entrepreneurial opportunities in the region.

The Workforce21 Connecting Business and Education Task Force presentation was the second such meeting with regional chambers that focused on business and education partnerships. The first was held in May with the Belleville Chamber of Commerce Business Assistance Committee. Rosella Wamser, co-chair of the task force with Juneau and a member of the Mid America Workforce Investment Board, conducted this presentation. The Madison-Bond and Mid America Workforce Investment Boards anticipate additional meetings with Chambers of Commerce as well as with organizations such as the Rotary and Kiwanis.
Speaking from the perspective of an organization representing the needs of member businesses, Bristow is encouraged. “We have solicited participation from our Education Committee,” said Bristow. “Those members will discuss, at their next meeting, ways in which they can help facilitate business and education partnerships. This will be very beneficial.”

For more information on business and education partnerships, contact the Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board at 618-692-7040, Ext 4310 or the Mid America Workforce Investment Board at 618-825-3254.