One of our ongoing concerns is the disconnect between Illinois policymakers in Springfield and Chicago and the business community. Policymakers are continuing to implement questionable initiatives that are making it harder to do business in the state, and the Quad Cities can be a case study on this disconnect. That’s why we were so excited […]
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One of our ongoing concerns is the disconnect between Illinois policymakers in Springfield and Chicago and the business community.
Policymakers are continuing to implement questionable initiatives that are making it harder to do business in the state, and the Quad Cities can be a case study on this disconnect.
That’s why we were so excited to learn that the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce’s Christine Caves will be a member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board (IWIB).
The regional chamber’s vice president of business and economic growth was recently named by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker — pending Illinois Senate approval — to the statewide panel that helps guide the Illinois workforce development system.
Ms. Caves will join a board made up of leaders from state, business, industry, labor, education, and community-based organizations charged with evaluating and meeting the workforce needs of Illinois employers and workers.
“This is an exciting time to be involved in state workforce,” Ms. Caves told the QCBJ. “I’m honored to serve the citizens and businesses in Illinois as a member of the state Workforce Innovation Board.”
She has been a local workforce practitioner for more than two decades serving jobseekers and businesses directly through state workforce agencies and local community colleges. “My experience working for the Quad Cities Chamber has stretched my capacity to serve not only the jobseeker, but the employers in our region. I conduct direct outreach to over 100 local businesses each year,” she added.
“I’ve had no better classroom than the factories and firms in the Quad Cities region to inform my perspective on labor availability, labor density, labor markets, talent pipelines, workforce development solutions, workforce partners, and workforce capabilities. I’m ready to take my local perspective to the state level.”
Ms. Caves’ perspective is critical considering that workforce and talent is the most important asset for any community, region or state. If your workforce pipeline is dwindling versus growing then that imperils business and industry, which impacts everything else.
Consider the exodus of residents from Illinois.
A recent report by Illinois Policy revealed that Illinois’ population loss hit more than 85% of its cities, towns and villages in 2022, but 32% of the state’s 104,437-person loss came out of the City of Chicago, new U.S. Census data shows.
Population decline in Illinois is spreading, now affecting more than 85% of communities throughout the state and hitting communities of all sizes, according to the report. There were 1,108 of Illinois’ 1,296 incorporated places that lost population in 2022, according to data released May 18 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
On the flipside, Iowa experienced a slight increase in population.
We wish Ms. Caves luck on the board. We are hopeful that her diplomacy and experience will inform and influence these policymakers so that the state can get back on track.
