From Labor Tribune: Economic improvements were at the core
of Gov. JB Pritzker’s State of the State address in February, with more
attention paid to job training and support of the Illinois work force. And
local Labor-friendly representatives cheered his proposals.
Pritzker gave his address and delivered his proposed budget,
which includes $25 million for Illinois Works to advance diversity in trades
hiring; $10 million for high school vocational training; $1 million for data
center operator training; and $20 million in grants to recruit, train and
upskill workers for job openings.
“And we’re going to need every one of those skilled workers
and many more, because as of today, we have more than 81,000 more job openings
in Illinois than we have skilled workers to fill them,” Pritzker said. “And our
economy and industries are continuing to grow.”
Pritzker pointed out that capital investment in Illinois
through EDGE agreements has tripled since before the pandemic up to $1 billion
in 2022, with a 60-percent increase in jobs.
Other proposals of interest to Labor included:
Smart Start Illinois, which would allow access to preschool
for every three- and four-year-old in the state through the Early Childhood
Block Grant program.
Early Childhood ACE Scholarship program to train thousands
more early childhood educators.
Workforce Compensation Contracts for more stable funding for
child care workers, including subsidizing child care for unemployed workers
hunting for a job. “It’s nearly impossible to interview with an employer if
you’re simultaneously the 24/7 primary caregiver for your family,” Pritzker
said. The program will also help providers expand into “child care deserts”
where little or no child care is available near home or work.
More funding for higher education grants that supplement
federal Pell grants so that every student at or below the median income in
Illinois can go to community college tuition-free, including people in
healthcare, information technology, construction management, manufacturing and
other traditional union trades.