Here are some GPEDC updates to end your week:
You’re Hired! CareerSpark You’re Hired launched for high schoolers last week. Junior Achievement and GPEDC are partnering to present this digital hiring fair, which features more than 50 employers as exhibitors with digital “booths” and webinar panelists (you can see recordings from last Friday’s webinars by accessing this playlist). Over 5,000 high school students are currently registered for the experience, which will run through June (just in time for summer break and summer employment). If your company is interested in being featured along with employers like Caterpillar, OSF, UnityPoint, Natural Welding, Sorce Freshwater, Bayer, the State of Illinois, Morton Industries, Simantel, and others, contact Kari Rauh at krauh@greaterpeoriaedc.org.
Regionalism Example: As the leader of a regional economic development organization, I’m always looking for great examples of when the regional nature of our economy proves itself. It’s been pretty well documented that the Rivian plant in western McLean County employs a good number of people from Greater Peoria – my neighbor on Peoria’s West Bluff makes the commute every day. But the impact is greater than just employment. Earlier this month, our friends (and members of the Greater Peoria Manufacturing Network) Peoria Production Solutions shared a short case study about the work they were doing for Rivian. Recognizing that the assembly of cargo fans on site for their Amazon vans was the source of a production chokepoint, Rivian hired Peoria Production Solutions to do the work here in our region. They are now assembling 90% of all the fans for these units. That’s the power of regionalism – no matter where good things happen in our general area, other good things are bound to happen. Read more about PPS’ work with Rivian here.
AgTech Connect: The next session of the AgTech Connect will be held next Friday morning from 8:30 – 10:30 am at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Organized by our friends at the Morton EDC along with GPEDC, Distillery Labs and Bradley’s Turner Center, this networking event brings together farmers, innovators and others in the agriculture industry for conversation and exploration. Sessions will include updates about advancing the AgTech Ecosystem, keynote speaker Peter Johnsen talking about Genetics and penny cress business story, rapid fire from subject matter experts, and time to build relationships as you cultivate purposeful collisions with resources. Includes a (free) light breakfast. RSVP here.
gBeta Recruiting: If you know a startup looking to accelerate their business, have them apply to be in the next cohort of Distillery Labs’ free, 7-week gBeta program. More information here.
Makers Madness: Just a reminder that you can nominate a local company for the Illinois Manufacturers Association “Coolest Thing Made in Illinois” here through Sunday.
Have a great weekend.
Chris