Prairie State Wire

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has announced a $15 million investment for two academies specializing in high-in-demand manufacturing job skills in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Heartland Community College, and Rivian.

 "I’m committed to maintaining a high-quality skilled workforce in Illinois – so our residents can earn a good living, ready for the millions of new manufacturing jobs of tomorrow. I was glad to visit Southwestern Illinois College as we take another step forward in that work," Pritzker wrote in a Facebook post.

The capital fund will be distributed through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan to recruit hundreds of workers in the manufacturing field. The institutions will be located at Heartland Community College and Southwestern Illinois College. Illinois will receive $4.95 million to invest in capital projects and other resources for employers and regional partners contributing to the new training centers. With the programs projected to roll out in late 2021, hundreds of students will be enrolled to join. 

The state will also allocate a $7.5 million grant to Heartland for a new electric vehicle-energy storage manufacturing training academy, estimated to produce 1,600 jobs for the next two years. The institution is expected to create a new auto shop specialized in EV manufacturing training. Considering the surge in EV-related manufacturing jobs, the volume of jobs is expected to rise by 2024.

“Community colleges play an essential role in providing affordable and equitable access to education, and in turn, a pathway to sustainable careers. And partnership is key to building and maintaining the workforce needed to fulfill the promise of innovation in technical education and to grow the economy,” said Heartland Community College President Keith Cornille. 

SWIC will also receive $7.5 million to establish a new advanced manufacturing center to promote equity and the inclusion of women and minorities in the field. The center is scheduled to be completed in two separate parts: a  precision machining phase and a career training expansion phase. The space will open its doors to students by Fall 2022.

“These training academies will address a skills shortage in the manufacturing industry and adopt new technologies in manufacturing production while meeting the needs of many regional employers located in these downstate communities,” said Brian Durham, executive director of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).