www.nationalskillscoalition.org > In the States > State Coalitions > Illinois

Skills2Compete-Illinois.

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In partnership with National Skills Coalition, the Skills2Compete-Illinois campaign seeks to raise awareness of the need to train Illinois residents for middle-skill jobs, which require more than high school but less than a four-year degree. These jobs make up the largest portion of Illinois' labor market. Prior to the recession, Illinois was already experiencing shortages of middle-skill workers in crucial industries. With high unemployment throughout the nation, this is precisely the time to ensure Illinois is training the middle-skill workforce that will be critical to economic recovery and long-term success.

Key Partners

Leads
Chicago Jobs Council
National Skills Coalition
Women Employed

Core Advisors
Chicago Urban League
College of Lake County
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
Good Jobs First - Illinois
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Illinois' Community College Presidents' Council
Illinois Community College Trustees Association
Illinois Workforce Partnership
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
Power Transmission Distributors Association Foundation

Major Efforts

With National Skills Coalition, released Illinois’ Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs, which generated widespread media attention. As part of National Skills Coalition’s Skills2Compete fly-in, representatives from S2C-IL met with members of Illinois’ Congressional Delegation in Washington, DC, to discuss report findings in November 2009

On September 23, 2008, National Skills Coalition and the Skills2Compete-Illinois campaign held a briefing on Capitol Hill for members and staff of the Illinois Congressional delegation. Honorary hosted by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), the briefing featured panelists from Illinois’ business, educational, and nonprofit sectors. With a projected nearly one million new openings for “middle-skill” jobs for Illinois by 2014, the campaign called for bold action in the form of a two-year postsecondary skills guarantee to ensure that workers have the training needed to fill these jobs. View photos from the event.