CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the awarding of a $350,000 workforce training grant to McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, which will allow the school’s economic development arm to administer critical skills training to 1,400 workers at 35 different companies. The grant comes as a part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s pro-active, comprehensive economic development strategy designed to spur the economy and create jobs across Northeast Illinois. The grant is being awarded through the Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP).
“It’s no secret that a strong workforce makes for a strong economy, and the best way to keep the Illinois economy expanding and creating more jobs is to continue investing in the skills of our workers. This grant to McHenry County College is a great example of how we are forming innovative partnerships with community organizations to help businesses of all sizes boost their workers’ skills and become more productive, efficient and, ultimately, competitive,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
The Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) is a new generation of employer-focused, customized training grants created through the “21st Century Jobs” Training Initiative. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administers the ETIP grants, which reimburse companies and organizations for up to 50 percent of the costs of training their employees. McHenry County College’s Center for Commerce & Economic Development (MCC-CCED) has formed a network that regionally serves companies to meet the challenge of providing economic and workforce development support. The training the College will provide is customer/company driven and will focus mainly on Quality-ISO-Safety and Technical/Workplace skills.
"This workforce training grant reflects Gov. Blagojevich's understanding that the best way to help businesses meet their constantly changing needs and stay productive and profitable in the marketplace is to provide hands-on support. Training grants such as these that enhance the quality and efficiency of a company’s workforce do exactly that and will keep our local economy moving full-speed ahead,” State Senator Pam Althoff (R-Crystal Lake) said.
“Gov. Blagojevich and I believe that this region will compete for new jobs and investment based largely on the skills of our workforce. This grant to McHenry County College will provide training to 1,400 individuals, producing a better-trained workforce that will help our economy grow and expand. These kinds of initiatives that work at the community level are what effective economic development is all about,” State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) said.
“McHenry County College has a long history of involvement in local workforce development. We are pleased again to partner with Governor Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns program in this important initiative. Working together with the state and our local employers gives us a great opportunity to contribute to strengthening our local and state economy,” said Walt Packard, President of McHenry County College.
Over the past two years, Gov. Blagojevich’s Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) has provided more than $23 million to companies in Northeast Illinois to boost the skills of more than 80,000 workers.
“Gov. Blagojevich has made it a top priority to ensure that the state’s workforce programs act as an invaluable partner to business. The Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) provides critical resources to local businesses to train their workers in cutting edge technologies, and it delivers those resources on demand. Investments like these are the key to building a world-class workforce in Illinois that acts as vigorous engine of economic growth and job creation,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.