Workforce Readiness
The GLKWB is responsible for investing $2 million annually in support of local workforce training.The organization secured and administers a $216,332 Illinois Talent Pipeline Grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to upgrade the skillset of current employees in order to to support expansion. Over the past two years, GLKWB has supported local employers by providing nearly $100,000 in training funds to assist employers in their upskilling efforts.
Regionally, the Workforce Board has supported projects in the transportation and manufacturing industries. Training funds were available to employers to upgrade the skills set of current employees. For example, ISO 9000 training was developed for area manufacturers and specialized auto mechanic training was developed for Ford dealers in the northeast region. GLKWB and partners semiannually host the Graduate & Get Paid Program to familiarize local high school students and staff with local career opportunities.
Kankakee Community College
Kankakee Community College has award-winning and accredited programs to train the workforce and prepare students to transfer to 4-year universities and complete bachelor’s degrees. The college builds its career programs with input from advisory committees made up of local business and industry. As a direct result, the Industrial Machinery Registered Apprenticeship program began in 2018. Similarly, the electrical engineering technology program prepares students for renewable energy careers including solar, wind and geothermal. The new Advanced Technology Education Center—a LEED Gold building—provides the training space.
The Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Center gives students hands-on experience in sought-after skills: fabrication, machine tool, welding, millwright, and transportation/logistics. KCC’s health program graduates score above state and national averages for both employment and pass rates on certification and credential exams. The Continuing Education, Career Services and Adult Education areas also meets the community’s needs through custom training, personal enrichment, GED® preparation and other avenues.
Olivet Nazarene University
With more than 140 fields of study and enrollment of nearly 5,000, ONU is ranked #2 Best Value School in 2021 by U.S. News & World Report.
ONU’s ABET-accredited Martin D. Walker School of Engineering has seen strong growth over the last decade, now offering nine concentrations, including Architectural, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical engineering. New for 2019-20: Data Science program and Cybersecurity Defense major.
Kankakee Area Career Center
KACC aims to meet the vocational/technical education needs of the regional high school students. The underlying function of the career center is to prepare students to select viable career paths and to obtain the training and skills essential for continuing education and/or the job market.
K-12 Kankakee County School Districts
CLICK for compiled list of online rankings for Kankakee County Schools
CLICK image below to access our Employment Assistance Resource Navigator (EARN) tool, which provides links to local agencies that assist with job searches, career counseling and readiness, and financial assistance:
