PEORIA, Ill. – A new regional effort is underway to strengthen Greater Peoria’s manufacturing workforce and create more pathways into manufacturing careers.
The Greater Peoria Leadership Council will lead the local effort as part of Caterpillar’s five-year, $100 million Building the Future Workforce Initiative. Caterpillar announced in July that it plans to invest up to $10 million in Illinois through the program, with Greater Peoria among the areas selected for the initiative.
The regional effort will bring together manufacturers, schools, economic development groups, community organizations and other service providers.
Organizers plan to identify existing workforce programs, determine where gaps remain and find ways to better connect those resources. The goal is to help students and adults entering or changing careers develop skills and connections for manufacturing jobs while addressing employers’ workforce needs.
As part of the process, manufacturers throughout Greater Peoria are being asked to participate in a survey about their current and future workforce needs. Organizers say responses from businesses of different sizes will be used to help develop a regional manufacturing talent pipeline.
SQB Workforce Ecosystems is working with the Greater Peoria Leadership Council on the initiative.
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