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Workforce21 Study Launches Task Forces in Southwestern Illinois

The Madison-Bond Workforce Investment Board and the Mid America Workforce Investment Board formed a partnership to shape the future of southwest Illinois’ workforce after a study revealed a shortage of skilled workers.

In response to this mounting workforce crisis, the two workforce investment boards conducted a community audit/workforce strategic plan that examines the past, present and future of workforce development in the seven southwestern Illinois counties of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington. The result of this audit was the completion of a 190 page document entitled, “21st Century Workforce: Southwestern Illinois.” The Workforce21 community audit spawned the formation of two taskforces to address the challenges identified. Thus the Connecting Business and Education and Supporting Economic Development task forces were formed.

The goals of the Connecting Business and Education task force include: enhancing the quality of career and guidance counseling in schools, community colleges and Illinois Employment &Training Centers. Additionally the task force is looking for ways to make vocational high school curricula more appealing to students and parents, reducing the dropout rate/increasing the graduation rate and offering appropriate skills to enhance the academic performance of students to better prepare them for the workforce.

Currently the Business and Education Task Force is surveying area businesses to assess possible partnerships in the region between educators and employers. The intention is to interactively utilize the data on a website that will be created as a resource for businesses, schools and parents. Other opportunities for the Connecting Business and Education Task Force include the development of training opportunities for career guidance counselors. This would include visits to businesses in order to better identify skills needed for success; opportunities for mentoring and internships; presentations by businesses in schools and promoting career fairs.

The Supporting Economic Development Taskforce was formed to connect workforce programs and services to local economic initiatives in order to enhance both the local workforce and economy.

A survey was conducted with area entrepreneurs, service providers and community leaders in the southwest region. The intent was to identify catalysts to generate a more robust entrepreneurial climate throughout the region in order to create new jobs, easier access to startup capital and higher success rates among startup companies. Entrepreneurial focus groups were also conducted to discuss the challenges of starting and sustaining new business.

The “Southwestern Illinois 2005 Entrepreneurial Summit: Bridge to Economic Growth” was held in October 2005 to present the findings of the survey. A second Entrepreneurial Summit is being planned for 2006. Other objectives for the Supporting Economic Development Taskforce include: nurturing an entrepreneurial climate in southwestern Illinois, supporting existing businesses, concentrating on identifying ways to reduce regional “brain drain” and actively encourage professionals to return to the area.
The Supporting Economic Development Taskforce and Connecting Business and Education Taskforce area actively working towards building a stronger workforce and economic future for southwest Illinois.