Report - Economic Development Region 2 and Apprenticeships
Creation Date: 04/22/2023
Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCPRC), in partnership with Apprenticeship Illinois, worked to execute a capacity-building project from July 1, 2022, to June 31, 2023. The project included four phases:
- Get a lay of the land.
- Build a Coalition.
- Developing messaging and setting goals.
- Engage employers.
In Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of 2023, CCRPC got a lay of the land by engaging the Apprenticeship Illinois network and visiting apprenticeship sites across the state. During that time, CCRPC also worked to bring together stakeholders in the economic development region, including three community colleges, two local workforce areas, and an apprenticeship intermediary. Based on research and discussions, CCRPC developed a survey for Coalition stakeholders and aggregated and analyzed the survey data. Based on Phases 1 and 2 and the survey, CCRPC was able to write a report that captured opportunities and challenges within the EDR. This work directly impacts Phase 3: messaging and goal setting. The Coalition will discuss apprenticeships as one of several good work-based learning options that could address the talent shortage crisis by upskilling incumbent workers and backfilling more easy-to-fill entry-level positions. Our messaging will also work to advance equity by helping employers create supportive cultures that improve recruitment and retention efforts through job readiness programs and by sharing information about good jobs, career pathways, and supportive services with target populations. The goals will be demand-driven and based on the dynamics of local industries. The Coalition has set goals for Phase 4, employer engagement based on demand and dynamics.