Rock Island has been awarded a $195,000 grant as part of a state expansion of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced last week that more than $18 million in funding is being awarded to 36 recipients, serving 1,700 community members statewide. The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program’s aim is to create a qualified talent pipeline of diverse candidates in construction and the building trades.
Launched in 2021, the program’s goal is to increase diversity and access to apprenticeship programs. Comprehensive pre-apprenticeship programs help participants gain admission to apprenticeship programs, which provide a greater opportunity to obtain employment in the construction trades and secure a lifelong career.
Rock Island was the only Quad Cities area recipient of the grant funding.
Through Illinois Works, DCEO is expanding its statewide network of providers to recruit, prescreen, and provide pre-apprenticeship skills training. The program providers offer structured pathways and manage the program graduates’ transition from the pre-apprenticeship program to a full apprenticeship in the construction and building trades.
“As Rebuild Illinois continues to transform every aspect of our state’s infrastructure, my administration remains committed to building out a workforce that is as talented as it is diverse,” the governor said in a news release announcing the grant awards. “Today, I couldn’t be prouder to announce that we are dispersing $18 million to expand the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship program, so that even more underrepresented Illinoisans gain access to good-paying jobs in the construction trades.”
Participants of the program attend tuition-free and receive a stipend and other supportive, barrier reduction services to help enter the construction industry. Upon completion of the program, pre-apprentices receive industry aligned certifications which prepare and qualify them to continue to a registered apprenticeship program in one of the trades.
“The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program is illuminating new paths and economic opportunities for diverse workers that are typically underrepresented in the trades,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in the release. “Trades are vital to our state’s long-term health, and we need to make sure everyone, no matter their zip code, has the opportunity to recognize that value. Apprenticeships deepen the talent pool that will develop into a healthy, flowing workforce.”
According to the release, the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship program was specifically designed to increase access to good-paying jobs in the trades for historically underrepresented populations.
“Apprenticeships provide a clear path to good-paying, long-term career opportunities,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “The continued expansion and success of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program is critical to ensuring students, particularly those from underrepresented communities, have the tools and resources they need to thrive.”
Signed into law in 2019, the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act is designed to promote diversity, inclusion, and use of apprentices in state-funded capital projects. The Act created three major programs: the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program, the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative, and the Illinois Works Bid Credit Program. Together the programs aim to create a talent pipeline of skilled and diverse candidates to fill new jobs created by the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois capital plan.
