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According to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, the
program is funded with $810,000 from federal American Rescue
Plan Act taxpayer funds.
“As the name suggests, this program will accelerate the hiring
process for manufacturers and offer a pathway for job seekers
interested in a career in manufacturing,” Preckwinkle said.
The county is working with Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, a
Chicago nonprofit. The organization’s CEO, Bridget Altenburg,
said employers need skilled workers.
“Companies are struggling to find talent, especially in
manufacturing and the trades,” Altenburg said.
Altenburg said Skills for Chicagoland’s Future has worked for
the last decade in Cook County to bridge the gap between
overlooked talent and companies with quality jobs.
“Companies like the ones that are going to work with this
accelerator, that are finding new talent pipelines, that are
training their own talent, are going to leap ahead of their
competitors relying on the same old, same old,” Altenburg said.
Preckwinkle said the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator
was launched to provide a concierge service for employers in
need of talent. She added that Skills for Chicagoland’s Future
will also provide supportive services to new apprentices.
“These services include career counseling, transportation
assistance, professional attire and referrals for child care,”
Preckwinkle said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois lost
7,800 manufacturing jobs in 2023. Hundreds more have left in
2024, thanks in part to closures of the Quaker Oats plant in
Danville and Blommer Chocolate in Chicago.
Wirepoints reports that manufacturing employment in Illinois has
dropped nearly 5% over the last five years.
Meanwhile, neighboring states like Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri
have added jobs in the manufacturing sector.
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