Workforce Solutions
The office of Workforce Solutions leads the Greater Peoria EDC’s efforts to develop a more resilient, robust, and equitable talent pipeline in Greater Peoria by troubleshooting systemic gaps and challenges and connecting regional organizations to the necessary resources. In considering a region for doing business, the top concern of prospective business owners is the quantity and quality of the workforce. This office aims to develop and retain a skilled workforce by employing strategies along the career-development continuum (ranging from elementary school through adulthood). The regional scope of this work builds collective capacity and competency across organizations and serves the local business community in meeting their most pressing workforce needs.
Find your next career path and post current openings at your company on our local job board.
A healthy workforce is the number one driver of economic growth because an economy can only be as productive as its citizens.
All our workforce efforts are tackled from a regional point of view. These efforts fit within a three-pronged approach to workforce development: developing pathways to work and career exploration for youth and young adults; upskilling working adults; and addressing the multiple barriers to employment of low-income families. Greater Peoria’s workforce development efforts are led by the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA), of which the Greater Peoria EDC is a member. The RWA and the Office of Workforce Solutions work to stabilize and grow our economy by systematically connecting employers, educators, community-based organizations with high school graduates, the under-credentialed and multi-barriered adults to ensure our citizens have the required certifications to obtain gainful employment.
The Greater Peoria region starts cultivating its future workforce at an early age, collaborating with regional career development organizations at every educational level to meet our employers’ future workforce needs. From youth mentorship organizations to professional and personal development programs for our youth, Greater Peoria has it all:
The Office of Workforce Solutions serves as a neutral convener for the programs and solutions targeted at under-employed and under-credentialed adults with work experience to obtain credentials that address workforce gaps. We do this by working with the region’s educational institutions to ensure credentialing programs are available & aligned with workforce gaps. We apply the principles outlined in the Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) Practices of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Talent Pipeline Management Initiative.
The Office of Workforce Solutions also identifies the highest-growth, most in-demand jobs in the region by running focus groups and soliciting actionable feedback.
Current focus groups include:
Advanced Manufacturing Employer Collaborative
The Office of Workforce Solutions supports the Regional Workforce Alliance in its work to address barriers that prevent adults from working. These adults often swirl through community-based organizations and support systems with little to no credentials or work experience that allow them to qualify even for entry-level jobs. We facilitate introductions and connections between training providers, organizations and resources within the workforce development ecosystem. We also promote hiring opportunities for diverse populations and talent pipelines.
Contact us to learn more about Greater Peoria’s efforts in enhancing our workforce.
