This week, Governor Rauner's office released a draft five-year workforce development plan for the State of Illinois.  The plan fulfills new federal requirements established by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014.  The statewide plan establishes principles and goals that aim to integrate workforce, education, and economic development policy.  Many of the plan's goals, such as implementing and expanding work-based training programs and industry credentialing programs, enhancing workforce data infrastructure, and focusing programs on in-demand occupations, align with human capital recommendations made in GO TO 2040. 

The state's plan emphasizes the use of work-based training programs and industry credentialing.  Work-based programs provide opportunities for training recipients to earn income while gaining job skills in a real-world setting, with the goal of helping individuals find permanent work after completing training.  The plan also echoes national policy, calling for an increased focus on industry credentialing.  Industry credential programs allow individuals to demonstrate mastery of specific skills that are transferable amongst firms in an industry.  The region already has some local examples to look to as workforce developers expand these types of programs.  CMAP's Reorienting State and Regional Economic Development report highlighted the Accelerated Training in Illinois Manufacturing and Health Professions Opportunity Grant as examples of work-based credentialing programs. 

The state's plan also calls for a number of changes aimed at streamlining service provider access to workforce data.  This includes creating a database that allows case managers to see the workforce services and programs that a client is using or has used in the past, as well as past jobs held by the individual.  The plan also recommends the creation of a statewide licensing and certification database to track workforce credential attainment.  Again, metropolitan Chicago has work underway that may provide the state with a head start.  The Career Connect program interface is designed to improve service to job seekers, employers, and public and private workforce funders.

Achieving the goals outlined in the state workforce plan will require a level of coordination among state and local workforce development providers that is called for in GO TO 2040.  In order to facilitate this coordination, WIOA requires organizations in each workforce development area to engage in regional planning efforts for workforce development.  Going forward, regional workforce development plans will identify specific sector strategies for Workforce Investment Boards to implement, and also identify opportunities for increased coordination and collaboration to serve regional workforces and businesses. 

Public comment on the draft plan will be accepted until February 24, 2016.