Dive Brief:
- Illinois has made available $24 million in grant funding to establish six manufacturing workforce training programs at in-state community colleges, Gov. JB Pritzker announced this week.
- The state will deploy money to create Manufacturing Training Academies in its downstate regions, south of the Chicago metropolitan area, and support facility upgrades and equipment for training prospective workers, according to a news release.
- Applicants can apply for grants valued between $3 million and $6 million through April 30, or until the state funds are exhausted. Illinois will select recipients through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process, according to a release. Previous grant recipients and community colleges located in Cook County, as well as the five counties in the surrounding Chicago area, are ineligible for funding.
Dive Insight:
Illinois’ initiative adds to the growing number of community colleges across the nation leading the charge to address evolving industry workforce needs.
As companies look to build out their operations in the United States with artificial intelligence, automation and other advanced technologies, community colleges are acting as “innovation brokers” that prepare students for jobs or careers with local manufacturing employers, according to a 2025 Rutgers University report. Researchers also found that policymakers could do a better job of including community colleges in economic development and workforce planning discussions.
“Since the program’s inception, Manufacturing Training Academies have been an important link between growing manufacturers and the skilled workforce they need, creating stronger ties between industry and community colleges to build new opportunities for people in those regions,” Kristin Richards, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, said in a statement. “Guided by the principles in Illinois’ Economic Growth Plan, expanding the MTA program is a critical step to prepare Illinoisans for a successful future in priority industries.”
Illinois introduced its Manufacturing Training Academy program as part of its 2019 Economic Growth Plan, and has since awarded four grants to help with workforce development. In early 2024, Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, opened a training academy focused on electric vehicle and energy storage manufacturing in partnership with automaker Rivian.
Later that year, Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois, opened a 33,000-square-foot manufacturing hub focused on advanced automation, tool and die mold-making and additive manufacturing. Richland Community College and Kankakee Community College also received awards for programs in clean energy manufacturing.
In addition to grants for community colleges, Illinois recently added a new tax credit program to attract manufacturing investment. Over the summer, the state passed a budget bill enacting the Advancing Innovative Manufacturing program for qualified companies that invest $10 million or more in the state. The credit ranges from 3% to 7% on qualifying purchases made on or after Jan. 1, 2026.
