Highlights New Study Showing Illinois Continues to Lead the Midwest in High-Tech
CHICAGO – Continuing to invest in one of the most important sectors of our economy, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced more than $163,000 in workforce training grants to upgrade the skills of almost 330 high-tech workers at several Illinois companies. This funding comes as a part of Opportunity Returns, the Governor’s pro-active, comprehensive economic development strategy designed to spur economic growth and create jobs throughout Illinois. The Governor also highlighted a new study released today showing Illinois continues to lead the Midwest in the high-tech industry in most important categories.
“There’s no greater resource for any business than its people, and there’s no better way to build our economy than by investing in the skills of our people. By making these investments, we are helping high-tech companies compete at home and across the world and create more high-paying jobs,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is administering the grants, which are being awarded through the Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP). ETIP is a new generation of employer-focused, customized training grants created through the “21st Century Jobs” Training Initiative, which reimburses companies and organizations for up to 50 percent of the costs of training their employees.
AeA, the nation’s largest trade association representing key segments of the high-tech industry, today released its ninth annual Cyberstates report that shows that the Illinois tech industry employs almost 205,000 people and leads the Midwest states in most important categories, including high-tech employment (7th nationally), establishments (15,000), payroll ($14.4 billion) and venture capital ($235 million – a 5 percent increase from 2004). Illinois remains strong in high-tech manufacturing, ranking 3rd nationwide in measuring and control instruments employment and 4th in both electronic components employment and communications equipment employment. Illinois tech exports also jumped by 12 percent in 2005. For more information go to http://www.aeanet.org/pressroom/prjj_cs2006_illinois.asp
The companies receiving workforce training grants include:
Midtronics - Willowbrook - $63,773 - train 121 employees
Bio-Logic Systems - Mundelein - $21,147 - train 106 employees
CCC Technologies - Elk Grove Village - $18,775 - train 14 employees
Nanophase Technologies - Romeoville - $14,262 - train 9 employees
Lucent Technologies Inc - Naperville - $13,800 - train 16 employees
Micro Sun Technologies - Lisle - $9,220 - train 9 employees
Medlin Communications, Inc. - Burr Ridge - $7,800 - train 7 employees
Advanced Telecommunications of Illinois - Naperville - $4,600 - train 4 employees
Time Business Systems - Addison - $2,300 - train 2 employees
Lindall Systems, Inc. - Lake In the Hills - $2,200 - train 2 employees
Champaign Telephone Company - Champaign - $1,100 - train 1 employee
Hughes Business Telephones Inc - Rockford - $1,100 - train 1 employee
Interstate Communication Inc - Schaumburg - $1,100 - train 1 employee
Total Teledata, Inc. Rolling Meadows - $1,100 - train 1 employee
Tri-Tel Technical Services, Inc. Elgin - $1,100 - train 1 employee
Business Facilities Magazine also rated Illinois the top state in the nation for biotechnology growth in 2005. Site Selection Magazine named the Chicagoland area the top metro region in 2005 for attracting new and expanded corporate facilities, and Illinois was ranked third in the nation.
“Gov. Blagojevich and I will continue making these kinds of investments in the assets that are the most desirable to business and the most critical to fueling more widespread economic growth and opportunity throughout the state. The ETIP program continues to serve as an enormous resource for our high-tech companies in helping them increase their flexibility, efficiency and competitiveness in today’s ultra-competitive, global economy,” 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.