Innovative Grant Prepares Tomorrow’s Workforce and Builds on the State’s Booming Biotech Business
CHICAGO – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced a $74,000 High Technology School-to-Work training grant to the Illinois Corn Growers Association, which will be used to prepare Illinois college students to transition from school to high-skilled, high-paying jobs in the field of biotechnology. The grant is administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and is a part of Gov. Blagojevich’s High Technology School-to-Work Initiative.
“The High Technology School-to-Work Program is preparing Illinois’ workforce of tomorrow for high-wage, high-skill jobs that require advanced technical training. Increasing the number of trained students pursuing biotech careers will have a profound impact on the economy for years to come. This is an important investment in both our students and our economic future, and we are proud to partner with the Illinois Corn Growers Association in this innovative initiative,” said Gov. Blagojevich.
The High Technology School-to-Work Program provides grants to consortia of high technology businesses and local schools. Projects are designed by partnerships among employers, associations and schools to provide youth with work experience in high technology occupations, combined with closely related classroom instruction. These programs allow students to explore careers in fields such as information technology, biotechnology, engineering, agriculture, electronics, medical technology and advanced manufacturing.
As part of the $74,000 High Technology School-to-Work grant, the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center (NCERC), in partnership with the University of Illinois and Southwestern Illinois College, will develop a training and internship program to prepare college students for high-technology jobs in biofuels or other process-related industries. The interns will experience hands-on training in plants or labs to expose them to occupations as engineers, maintenance specialists, plan operators, lab technicians or sales representatives for a variety of employers throughout Illinois. The project partners will begin to recruit student in June 2006.
“Gov. Blagojevich’s High Technology School-to-Work Program gives us in the biotech industry the tools to create a future workforce that is prepared to serve the growing biotech field. We are teaching students through a hands-on, interactive learning process and exposing them to a variety of important career opportunities,” said Illinois Corn Growers Association Executive Director Rodney Weinzierl.
As further evidence of the Governor’s strong support of the biotech industry, Illinois, in partnership with the City of Chicago, will host BIO 2006 from April 9-12th. This is the first time that this prestigious life sciences conference will be held in the Midwest. At BIO 2006, Illinois will demonstrate that it is Putting Science to Work – the theme of this year’s Illinois Pavillion – by emphasizing the state’s unmatched university and research institutions, world-class infrastructure, diversified workplace, aggressive government support and its innovative Illinois companies. In 2005, Business Facilities Magazine ranked Illinois #1 in the nation for biotech growth.
Companies interested in registering for the BIO 2006 Convention should call John Conrad at 312/201.4514 or log onto http://www.bio.org/events/2006/reg/
“This High Technology School-to-Work grant is an extension of the biotech momentum that is building across the state. Investing in the biotech industry in Illinois today means preparing our students for the high-tech jobs of tomorrow, and I want to thank Gov. Blagojevich for his unwavering support of this important program,” State Senator William Haine (D-Alton) said.
“Illinois is an international destination for biotechnology, and we will continue to compete for high-tech business investments based on the skills of our workforce. To create a highly trained workforce that can compete in the global economy, Gov. Blagojevich and I know we need to expose more students to careers in the life sciences and biotechnology,” said State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville).
“Gov. Blagojevich is making the kinds of smart investments that matter most to the economic vitality of our state – and to the future of our youth. The biotech industry has a profound impact on the state’s economy, generating thousands of jobs for people across Illinois. Training students to be successful in biotech careers will strengthen the economy of the state and provide our workforce with higher-paying, cutting-edge jobs,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.