Prairie State Wire

Springfield—Governor Pritzker's Commission on Workforce Equity and Access released "Strategic Recommendations for an Accessible, Inclusive, and Responsive Workforce Development System in Illinois," a report on improvements to the state's workforce ecosystem centered around issues of equity and structural barriers to access. The commission, headed by Deputy Governor Andy Manar and Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, met over the course of ten months with over 40 stakeholders to inform their recommendations.

"Equity needs to be the cornerstone of the state's workforce if we want to effectively serve the diverse needs of the people of Illinois," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This report is a strong step on the path towards making significant improvements to the efficiency and fairness of our state workforce development system, and I look forward to seeing the impact of the commission's work over the next several years."

In 2021, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a $40 million investment in workforce recovery centered around those impacted by COVID-19 layoffs and closings. This announcement also created the Commission on Equity and Access and tasked them with crafting the strategic report.

Main pain points identified in the report include inefficient redundancies, unwelcoming physical spaces, and certain worker assessment tools. The report was funded by Steans Family Foundation and Workforce Funders Alliance. Afton Partners, C-Change Strategies, and MDRC aided in the facilitation of the Commission's work. Implementation strategies have begun and will continue to be put into place.

The report makes several main recommendations, including:

• Legislatively create a Chief Workforce Officer in the Governor's Office.

• Revitalize the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board and rename it the "Illinois Workforce Council."

• Various workforce system design enhancements, including service delivery enhancements, staff investments, system funding, and changes to federally funded programs.

"The Commission's recommendations are an important step forward in creating a more cohesive, coordinated, and effective workforce development system across our state agencies," said Allison Angeloni, Director of Policy at Steans Family Foundation. "Through centralized state leadership and a re-designed system that centers the experience of users, Illinois will be well-positioned to achieve a future state where all workers - no matter their race, socioeconomic status, or geography - have equitable access to meaningful careers."

"The recommendations of the Governor's Commission on Workforce Equity and Access represent the greatest opportunity to improve the Illinois workforce system in a generation," said Matt Bruce, Executive Director of the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance. "Its vision of empowering employers to thrive through an equitable, talent driven competitive advantage is exactly the strategic leadership Illinois needs."

"The Illinois Department of Labor applauds the Commission's efforts to center the experience of job seekers and workers, and we are eager to dig into the Commission's recommendations around how the workforce system can promote quality jobs for all Illinoisans," said IDOL Director Jane Flanagan.

"I was particularly impressed in the researcher's human-centered design approach because it allowed us in the committee to look at potential participants through an asset-based lens — all participants were powerful individuals who just needed some form of systemic access," said Oswaldo Alvarez, Executive Director of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation.

"I am honored to have been a part of this impressively diverse Commission. Because of the diverse representation, we were able to appropriately center the unique needs and perspectives of the workforce systems various stakeholders. This report and the recommendations provide us with a blueprint that will strengthen our workforce system so that it works for every Illinoisian in the most equitable and human-centered way, and I look forward to working in partnership to help move the work forward," said Cherita Ellens President and CEO of Women Employed.

The complete report can be read here.

Original source can be found here.