Navigating the Future of Work with Julio Rodriguez

In this episode, host Pierre Michiels talks with Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director of the Illinois Office of Employment and Training, about the future of work and workforce development in Illinois. Julio shares insights on emerging industries like advanced manufacturing and quantum technology, the rise of skills-based hiring, and the importance of apprenticeships and flexible career pathways. He highlights how Illinois is using data, technology, and partnerships to prepare workers for evolving job markets, including tools like Illinois WorkNet and virtual reality for career exploration. The conversation emphasizes lifelong learning, emotional intelligence, and building inclusive talent pipelines that benefit both individuals and employers. 

Full episode transcript can be found on the episode page. Below is a general timestamp summary.

• 00:00–00:02:30 – Introduction to the Career Ready Podcast and guest Julio Rodriguez, Deputy Director at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
• 00:02:30–00:05:00 – Discussion on career services, training opportunities, and Illinois’ leadership in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
• 00:05:00–00:07:00 – How Illinois identifies job market trends using labor market data and business partnerships.
• 00:07:00–00:09:00 – Changing perceptions of manufacturing; highlighting its modernization and growth in Illinois.
• 00:09:00–00:12:00 – Emerging industries like quantum technology and the importance of exposing youth to career possibilities early.
• 00:12:00–00:16:00 – Impact of COVID-19 on work models; rise of hybrid work, telehealth, and flexible scheduling.
• 00:16:00–00:20:00 – Expansion of the gig economy into professional sectors and the need for adaptable benefit structures.
• 00:20:00–00:24:00 – Skills-based hiring trends; employers focusing on problem-solving, teamwork, emotional intelligence, and applied learning.
• 00:24:00–00:27:00 – Importance of self-awareness and foundational skills for career success across industries.
• 00:27:00–00:31:00 – How Illinois workforce centers support career navigation, training, and apprenticeships to meet labor market shifts.
• 00:31:00–00:34:00 – Use of virtual reality and other technologies to simulate job environments and improve career fit.
• 00:34:00–00:36:00 – Overview of Illinois WorkNet portal and its resources for job seekers, including resume tools and career exploration.
• 00:36:00–00:42:00 – Expansion of apprenticeship programs and support for earn-and-learn models.
• 00:42:00–00:44:00 – Closing thoughts on Illinois’ strengths in education, economic development, and lifelong learning opportunities.

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Transcript

Welcome to the Career Ready podcast.
Learn about resumes, cover letters,
LinkedIn, interviewing and all things
new career ready with the Career
Service Center at College of DuPage.
I'm your host, Pierre Michiels,
for today's episode.
I'm honored to have Julio Rodriguez
with me.
Julio is the deputy director
of the Office of Employment
and Training with the Illinois Department
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
He has great insight
to share about the job market
and resources offered through Illinois.
Julio, thank you for being here today.
Thank you.
I'm happy to be here.
And I'm excited about,
being able to share at least,
some of the information
that I have regarding workforce,
and some of my experience,
have been in the field of workforce
for over, 25 years.
So I've been at it a bit.
Yeah.
And, you know, just kind of looking
at some of the stuff that you're doing,
I know there's a lot of great information
you have to share.
But before we really get into that, can
you share a quick introduction or as
we would like to say, your elevator pitch?
Sure.
So again, my name is Julio Rodriguez.
I'm the deputy director of the Office
of Employment and Training at the Illinois
Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity, and I oversee,
part of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act workforce programs.
Those are federal programs.
I and specifically oversee
what we call the title one program.
And that program serves, adults,
what we call dislocated workers,
which are workers that have
lost their jobs by no fault of their own.
And then youth between the ages of 14
and 24.
Our primary
sort of work is really centered around
providing career services,
case management and opportunities
to get training into a variety
of different sectors and occupations
that we see opportunities for growth
and for living wages.
The other things that we do
is we focus very heavily on,
what are the right types of strategies
to get people in careers.
And we've really been focused a lot in
the last few years on pre apprenticeship
and apprenticeship programs,
and I'm happy to say the state of Illinois
under Governor Pritzker has been
one of the leading states in that space.
And we continue to grow that program.
And DuPage, the College of DuPage
has been an excellent partner with us,
and we have been very, very happy
that the college and the page and other
community college, as well as our local
workforce areas, have really led the way
in our ability to be able
to be one of the top states in that space.
I'm really excited for this conversation
based off that introduction.
Obviously, this is what I'm passionate
about, being here in career services.
But, you know, all those things
you're working on, has a lot of value.
And I'm excited that you get to share
some of this, with our listeners.
Sure. I'm excited too.
So as we get started here,
can you just explain a little bit
how the Office of Employment Training
identifies trends in the job market
and how you determine
the needs for training and reskilling?
Yes. So we work
with a number of state partners.
The Illinois Department of Employment
Security has a unit
which is dedicated
to labor market information.
So they, along with many other states,
work with businesses
and with the federal government
to determine where do we see growth.
They look at a number
of different factors.
Then we also work internally
with our business development, community,
and with the folks who are responsible
reaching out to businesses.
And through both those
mechanisms, we are able to compile data
that really tells us what we see
as trends
as it relates to various sectors.
An example is, you know,
Illinois has always been
seen as a very big manufacture
shrink state.
And that continues to be true.
In fact, I think,
one of our challenges is sort of,
fighting the myths that,
you know, manufacturing is dead.
And I want to I in fact,
manufacturing is actually growing.
It continues to advance.
We see new forms of manufacturing.
I think that's really what,
what trending helps to do.
And then the analysis is showing how,
sector is evolving and changing.
And so what you're seeing
in a lot of sort of the manufacturing
space is the adoption of more technology.
And seeing auto and both automation
and the implementation of AI
and a variety of different things
that continue to make that sector,
not only a place for opportunity,
but a really exciting sector to be in.
It's not the old factory where the dirty
floors and, you know, it's now very.
The last time
I was in a manufacturing center,
I was amazed at how not only,
sleek and and really modern day looked,
but also just the application
of so much technology in the space.
you know,
before being here, at culture DuPage,
I used to work in a high school
system helping high school
students on their career journey.
luckily, I don't have to deal
with the parents as much anymore.
But a lot of parents,
at that time, would be very adamant
their child wasn't going to go
into a manufacturing setting
because they just saw it as, like, dirty,
hard work.
It has really evolved and changed.
So I like hearing what you're saying
and, you know,
really identifying
that manufacturing is strong.
That's good to hear.
But it's probably very different
than how a lot of people perceive it.
Yeah.
And we have a program
at DCL called Made in Illinois
where we highlight actually
specific manufacturers across the state.
And it's, you know,
and I think people forget
that manufacturing is really the bread
and butter of a lot of things.
If you think about so many products
that sit at your kitchen table
or in your car
or in a variety of different settings,
and if it wasn't for,
you know, the robust and diverse
manufacturing sector
that we have in Illinois, we would not be.
And we're a world leader, really.
We're not just, a leader in the country,
but we're also a world leader
in that space.
To give you another example of sort of,
an evolving industry.
Right now, quantum,
even though people really people
hear the word quantum
and they're really they're,
you know, scratching their head
trying to figure out, well,
what does that really mean?
But it really is in some ways,
bringing technology and science
to a new sort of generation of thinking,
the power of technology
to advance the use of data to solve
problems is really how I look at quantum.
And then the jobs are not just jobs
for people with like PhD, but
there are jobs for technicians, for people
who will manufacture the computer.
So there's a whole ecosystem
within quantum that I think people
sometimes don't realize.
It's kind of like
when you go to a hospital,
you know, I
my hospital happens to be rush.
You know, when I go into rush,
I feel like I've entered an ecosystem
because there's so many jobs
that are interrelated
and so connected, that landing
in a place
like rush opens up a wide door of both
clinical opportunities,
but as well as supportive opportunities.
And I think sometimes we we
look at these set of structures
and, and don't peek in.
That's why I think
one of the things that you were saying
as a high school counselor,
we really have to get more
and more of our schools to open the doors
to business and business,
to open their doors,
to allow young people
to see the possibilities.
I mean, I think,
I think it's a very, you know, I think
when I was in high school, there is very,
very little opportunities that people
talk to me about career services.
Now, mind you, this is the 70s.
But even to those days,
I was working by the time
I was 14,
but that was really on my own volition.
That wasn't because someone said
to help me navigate that.
I think back
now that if I had have somebody like you
who knows where I would have wound up
if I had been,
given, you know, varying choices
and the ability to sort of,
get into those choices and try to see
what make the most sense for me.
Not that I'm not happy.
I love government,
and I love the work that I do, but,
I think that's one of the things that
we have to do, not only in high school,
but as early as elementary school,
exposing young people
to what's available,
right around the corner,
to pages in Exciting County
because literally there's
so much happening there
in terms of economic development.
But I actually the average high school
kid has no idea,
like, what's what's there
and what's in front of them.
Yeah.
You know, so many possibilities and,
you know, just, you know,
being able to get gain a little bit
exposure at a time goes a long way.
Yeah.
So as we're talking about
the workforce here, just as globally,
we've seen a lot of changes
over the last few years.
And that has really changed
the landscape of work.
Some of it is probably permanent.
Some of it is like regressing back
to where I was before,
and others are going to be like
an in-between type of area.
So just, from what you've seen,
what do you think
the job market will look like or the
workforce will look like in the future?
What, from these, recent changes are
really going to be sticking around, right?
Well,
I think Covid had a huge impact, right?
So one of the changes
that I think that we're seeing that
I think is continuing to
evolve is the whole idea of hybrid, right?
What does it mean
to not to the traditional 9 to 5 job?
Other one could argue
whether that was actually really true.
You know, I think
I think the
70s and 80s and 90s,
we really started to see a trend where
people were opting to work
different schedules.
You would see employers
setting up different shifts.
So I think I think that the workforce
and the workplace
has been evolving over the years,
but certainly with the advent of Covid,
that was sort of change on steroids,
if you will.
And what we're seeing now,
I think, is one, employers
trying to figure out the right
balance between, you know,
wanting workers on site
and their ability to offer workers
greater flexibility.
So I think that's one significant change.
And what does that mean?
And for those, workers who are more
front facing, how can we do that?
A good example,
I think, is if you look at telehealth,
you know, it used to be,
you know, making an appointment
with your doctor,
then the nurse, you know, just recently
I saw my doctor through a screen
just like this.
And saw what we were doing.
That was actually my preferred.
It didn't I didn't have to get in my car.
I didn't have to worry about parking,
you know?
And quite frankly,
there was more efficiency
in our ability to interact in that way.
It doesn't, take away
the fact that obviously
there will be times when I want to see him
in person where there will be tests.
Well, we conversation,
but the ability to have that option,
and and imagine it for, for a single
mom who has multiple kids.
If there are ways to simplify her ability
to get services or products
in a way that's,
allows her to be able to use her
time more effectively.
I think that's where we're moving.
I think, industry
is really trying to figure out
how do you manage the workforce
and still get your customer
the products and services that they need.
So I think the other trend
you're going to see is sort of this
partnering with technology, you know,
so how does,
how do we use technology and things
like AI in particular
to augment our services?
I just saw a very interesting product.
And you would be interested in this
as somebody who did career services,
where,
this company has developed a program
that creates avatars of young people,
and those young people facilitate,
job clubs in high schools.
But it's kids. The kids know.
And so, it makes the interactions
much more natural.
They've seen better participation,
a better way to also engage young people
in a way that uses that technology
to, better speak to them.
But that also allows the counselor
a way then to better, assess
and evaluate how those young people
are engaging with information.
So I think there's the other big trend
that we're going to see in the future
is the utilization of technology
in a variety of different workplaces.
The other trend
I think that we're seeing is trying
to determine really, what does,
the world of work sort of look like.
You know, and I think that's still
a very open question.
Right?
I have many colleagues
who live in one state
but work for a company in another state.
So, you know,
this sense of place has very much changed.
And so I think we will see that continue
to expand.
The other thing
that I think we will see, more
of is this sort of sense that,
you don't necessarily,
work for a traditional employer
in sort of this sort of,
very kind of, regimented way,
but instead you're
sort of a contract employee
in which you provide a set of services
that you're compensated for.
I mean, we see that now
with consulting works, right?
Consultants.
I see that motto
being applied
in a variety of different settings.
And you already see it in healthcare.
You already see it in technology,
but I think you're going to see
that model applied in a variety of other,
sectors as the economy continues
to grow and change.
And we try to figure out
how do you get the best talent,
to, to be able to deliver the products
and services you want.
So and I think for workers,
it gives them greater flexibility.
And you know,
you hear a lot about work life balance.
And I think that's what both industry
and workers are looking for.
Right. What's the right amount of
hours
required
in order to deliver a product and service
and still have the quality of life
that you want so you can enjoy, you know,
the income that you're earning,
and not feel the stress and the pressure,
of having to be someplace,
when that doesn't necessarily,
lend itself to be more productive.
I think we're seeing that
within government.
I think we're seeing it in
a lot of other industries.
So those are some of the trends
I think, that we're going to be seeing.
And obviously, global globalization
is continuing to happen,
and you're going to see,
I think, more and more,
you know, just engagement of countries
across borders, and more and more of
those borders will be more flexible,
especially in as it relates to work.
Yeah.
A lot of interesting things
to mull over there.
Some things that really stuck out to me,
though.
You know, again,
being in this career space,
you know, the idea of the gig economy.
And, you know, we tend to think of that
as like small side jobs.
But now you're talking about that
evolving to be more professional work and,
you know, the gig
economy really expanding into that area,
which, you know,
I haven't really thought much about
whether it makes a lot of sense.
And, you know, I think maybe people
are going to become a lot
more used to that because they're used
to growing up and doing gig jobs
to help go through school.
And then that's how they progress
through their career, Yeah, I think that's
a really interesting point,
because I think more and more folks are
and I would say
this is true for young people,
but I would also say
this is true for older workers as well.
It's how do you, navigate.
Right,
wanting to do a particular profession,
but do it in a way that allows you greater
flexibility and the greater opportunity
to advance and excel without compromising
the things that you like to do.
Right?
I, I think the gig economy, most people
don't even realize it
when you think about the arts,
the entertainment industry
that has been a gig economy
for quite some time.
Yeah.
Now, if you think about of
of the hospitality food industry
very much, sometimes a gig economy,
even in government and human services,
we often don't think about that
in many programs.
Somebody is working under a contract,
for from a funding source.
And so in some ways one could say they're
they're not
a employee of the organization, but
they are a contractor of the organization.
Yeah.
And I think the other thing is
then what's the right benefit package?
So then it comes back down to then
how do we provide, sort of,
those benefits that ensure
that workers are protected,
that workers have access to health care,
that their families have access
to health care,
that they have opportunities
to continue to grow by providing,
educational benefits,
that allow workers to actually advance.
I think the other trend
that we are trying to do
is get, employers in particular,
to see the advantage of growing your own.
And that's why, again, as I said earlier,
that's
why I think pre apprenticeships are
and apprenticeships are very exciting.
It gives employers the opportunity
to really grow their talent
and to figure out
what's the right set of skills,
that an individual needs to do the job
and to continue to advance.
I think the traditional sort of four year
degree,
is not disappearing,
but I think we're seeing more ways
to acquire a set of skills or competencies
outside of the traditional way.
And how can employers help support that?
How can the education system,
how can government,
how can we all work together
to create a menu
that allows people to sort of dabble
in what feels right for them
and to sort of what we called,
go on and off ramps, right.
So you might leave high school, go
right into an apprenticeship,
but then a year later,
you're in an associate's program,
then you come off of that,
then you work a few more years
and then you decide, I want to advance.
I'm going to go on and get my bachelor's
degree or beyond that.
But the idea is
it's not a sort of regimented path,
but it allows people choices
and flexibility and gives players
the talent
they need at the time that they need it.
And it allows them to continue to
cultivate that talent as they go forward.
So that gets me, hits on a lot
of another question I wanted to ask.
So, we hear about these skills
based hiring
and how that's becoming more of a trend.
So you kind of maybe hit on this already
a little bit there,
but can you just expand on, like,
how does that skill based hiring
impact credential attainment
in today's job market?
Yeah,
I think what employers are the realization
I think that's happening for
many employers is the traditional model of
requiring
people to have certain credentials doesn't
always translate to having the skills
that they need to be able to do the job.
So I think what we're seeing is
employers are really beginning
to sort of adapt and adapt to the idea.
Are there certain competencies
that if a person comes in the door with,
you can then augment
with additional education and training,
but either a set of skills and I will say
there are
sort of four primary ones
that we've been hearing through research
and through conversations with employers,
the ability to problem solve.
It seems like a simple thing, but,
you know, sometimes I always say
some of my smartest friends can.
Sometimes I solve the simplest problems,
you know, it's and it's and I think
people, minimize is what do we mean
by ability to problem solve.
It really is the ability to set a analyze,
look at a situation
and really where your options.
Right.
It's not as simple as just,
seeing something and fixing it.
It's really, really stepping back
and being intentional
about how you look at a problem.
Third thing is
how do you actually apply learning?
So if you have knowledge, how are you able
to apply that knowledge in a very concrete
kind of way?
So that ability to not only take us
to have a skill,
but also apply it in a way
that makes sense for whatever
you're applying that skill to.
Third is the ability to work in teams,
you know, the ability to not and,
you know, we sometimes,
and I know right now the,
the sort of environment is sort of,
has taken the idea of,
people being able to work together,
understand each other, understand
each other's journeys
to how they get to be who they are.
People have sort of couch
sat in a lot of negativity,
but I think employers still firmly believe
that your ability to get along
with people that don't look like you,
who come from a different place,
speak differently, have other abilities
that are different than your own,
that ability to work with a multitude
of individuals
with these varying degrees of difference,
I think, makes for a much stronger,
worker and also increases the project.
The ability in the workplace.
So it's the idea of working in a team
and understanding
not only what you bring to the work,
but how do the other people in the team
are assets to getting the job done
and being able to identify that?
And I think the last thing
is really about, what we call,
emotional intelligence.
And that's really the ability to
not only be aware
of how other people interact
in a given situation and how they manage
the work and circumstances.
But how do you do that,
your own self-awareness?
I think, you know,
there's very little opportunities in life
for you to sort of self-reflect
and how you actually engage with others,
you know,
I think you, you know, going back to high
school is
is always the sort of petri dish,
if you will, for experimenting.
But if you think about your high school
experiences and for many young people,
you should be learning more
about how you manage relationships
to make that experience be fully
what it could be.
I think we don't teach young people early
on about self-awareness.
Knowing
you know their strengths and weaknesses,
knowing what pushes them
both positively and negatively, you know?
But that whole idea of
understanding
who you are in the context of, you know,
your immediate peer group, the people
around you, your family and others
and how you navigate various,
you know, types of interactions.
But I think that's
what employers are looking for, right?
They're looking for individuals that can
really, you know, not only work in a team,
but can manage their own emotions,
their own skills, the ability to,
you know, apply the skills
that they have in a concrete way.
And then I think the so sort of sense of,
a self-starter
that you can really guide yourself
in a way that helps you
be the most productive that you can be.
And I think those sort of less tangible
skills are the kinds of things
that employers are seeing that I can
then train you to do.
Think the other thing,
if those fundamental skills are there,
and I think that's
what we're going to see moving
forward, is these less sort of,
these more foundational skills
or competencies
that really allow you to work
in almost any environment?
And I think the people who are going to be
the most successful are those
that really have those qualities.
Because you can be taught and trained
to do a variety of different things.
As long as you have the ability to learn,
and those are great skill sets.
I like hearing that our audience
should hopefully be, familiar with these
if they're regular listeners,
because we bring a lot of what you,
mentioned up regularly as
being able to better present yourself
and these foundational fundamental
Can and CS, we talk about the transferable
skills, right?
No matter what
industry field they're going into,
these are things that they're going
to bring to the table.
And the employer can fill in some of
those gaps in those specific needs.
Yeah. Exactly.
But I guess
kind of along those lines of filling gaps
and getting more specific to,
some things that your office is doing.
How does the office help workers
prepare for the shifting labor market?
Yeah, I think one of the things is,
I didn't say this earlier, but.
So we have a network of what we call local
workforce areas.
There are 22 in the state of Illinois.
One of them is actually DuPage County.
And through our local workforce area,
they're that center,
we have what we call, Illinois work
net centers or one stop centers.
Their counselors are trained
to not only help you navigate
sort of career information,
but they're also helping you think about
what are the kinds of things
that most make sense for you to pursue.
So really assessing your abilities
and, and your sort of,
choices and desires
as it relates to your skill set
and really trying to put you on a path
that makes sense.
And again,
going back to, apprenticeships,
you know, for many people who especially,
are trying to change
careers or, are just starting a career
or being able to sort of learn
and earn at the same time.
You know, for many college students,
you know, college debt is a reality.
So being able to get hired from the get
go and be earning a wage
while you're also learning the job
and acquiring a credential,
I think is both very attractive
to the individual,
but also very attractive to an employer
because it allows you to begin to
think about how do you set the workplace
so that you can really develop
your talent,
not only in the short term,
not for your immediate hiring,
but how do you help those folks progress
so that you build a much more loyal
workforce and a loyal and a workforce
that really can continue
to evolve and adapt as your company
and your industry grows?
I think, one of the things in the past
that we, you know, did
that was really detrimental to all of us
is that we hired
folks and sort of that was it, you know,
it's like you've you've got a job.
That's all you need to worry about.
And I think, that really did a disservice
not only to the individual,
but also to the company,
because it didn't allow you
to cultivate those individuals
in a way that would help you
expand and grow your, in your company.
And I think we're seeing employer shift
now in terms of how they do that.
And I think our local workforce areas
and the funding that we provide to them
helps them to really help people
not only know what the trends are
and what the data is telling us,
but also helps them think about it as it
as it applies to them, you know,
and sometimes people have a hard time
hearing, you know, that
the thing that they think they want to do
really doesn't fit with actual
what they like to do.
You know, I'll give an example, you know,
years back, one of our biggest challenges
that we would graduate
a lot of nurses in Illinois.
And within the first year or two,
many of them would lead the profession
and often at times was because
they really didn't have an understanding
of what that work
would look like on a day to day basis.
So I think the other thing
that we're trying to do
is expose folks to
what does a job look like.
So using things like virtual reality,
you know, to simulate a workplace,
that a lot of our local workforce areas
are, exploring
the utilization of that technology,
especially with young people or, folks
that are new to the workplace.
So, you know, you put that headset,
and I'm amazed
at how I actually worked on a plane
using a headset.
And, you know,
and to say I am a neophyte when it comes
to mechanics is an understatement.
But it was so real to me.
And now the University
of Southern Illinois is using
that technology as part of their overall,
aviation mechanics program.
But that's an example of, of what
our local workforce areas
are doing to expose
people who come to us looking for
a career, or looking to change a career,
or working with young people
to to really expose them to,
not only the options that exist,
but how they can explore those options
in a variety of different ways,
either through technology,
through a, apprenticeship programs,
through on the job, learning to work
based learning, within high schools.
But the idea is, let's expose
folks to the work
before they get there
so that it turns out to be the right fit.
You know, and sometimes people,
you know, they chase the number
and then they don't realize
that the number
won't change the fact that either
they're not qualified for the job
or that that job isn't a good fit
for what they want to be doing long term.
So, yeah,
and I think that kind of ties back
into something you were mentioned earlier
as far as that self reflection, right?
That that's what I bring up a lot
as far as you know, just exploring past
and then being successful in the job
search.
You have to know
your skills, your ability.
So you could present that to the employer
by gaining this exposure.
And I love hearing
the incorporation of technology
to gain that exposure. Right.
Because if you can go
and actually see a site,
it gives you a much better understanding
of what that world of a nurse
is or whatever setting it looks like.
But you can't
always make it into a doctor's office
and actually see it, right?
Like there's laws to prevent you from
just being able to do that.
But to have, virtual introduction to that
can really help create that understanding.
So it's great to hear that that is being
incorporated in some of these offices.
So you talked a lot about the offices,
but are there other like programs,
or initiatives that,
you want listeners
to be aware of as resources?
Yes. So, we have a portal called
Illinois Work Netcom,
and that's the statewide portal.
It's free to every resident of Illinois.
In fact, it's free to anybody
who's interested in coming down the way,
relocating and, learning about what
opportunities exist in Illinois.
That platform is in the process
of being upgraded.
Again,
it is a cloud based platform, but it
provides resources not only in terms
of our local workforce areas,
but what are the educational opportunities
that exist in your particular area?
It it allows you to do searches.
So if you're interested
in a particular occupation
and you don't know much about it,
it has a whole career navigation.
It has videos on it
that allows you to walk
through, like the various options
that you might have.
It has specific information for people
with disabilities, reentry veterans,
it connects those folks
to services
that exist for specific populations.
And then it also allows you to,
update your resume to some, you know,
mock interviews.
It's a very robust system,
and it's something
that you don't have to enroll
into a program in order to access.
So I really want to encourage people
to visit all of my work.
Netcom, all of our local areas
are connected to it,
but it is a tremendous resource,
and it's one that we continue to improve
and advance in terms of, that technology.
But I think
the other things that we're doing,
is we're,
we're, we're trying very much to,
put out more resources for the expansion
of apprenticeship programs.
We recently received
funding from the US Department of Labor.
So we're going to continue
to work with employers and
with our local workforce
areas, our community colleges,
and our community based organizations
that have training to really get more
and more people into a track,
of apprenticeships, because we see them
as a great opportunity again,
especially for folks where, access
to training doesn't afford them,
the ability
to actually be able to participate
because they really do
need to be earning a wage,
and to be earning an income
while being able to advance
and be able to get that skills
that they need to continue
to, pursue a career path.
But I think those are some of the tools
and resources that we have.
And again, through our local workforce
areas, they provide everything
from on the job training to, training,
as, subsidies for folks
wanting to pursue a specific career.
If you have lost a job.
We have services for folks
who specifically have lost their jobs
and reconnecting them.
To your earlier point
about doing that sort of bridge
between the job you had
and the job you want to pursue, working
with a counselor to try to figure out
what those options might look like,
working with employers to develop,
you know, specialized, classes,
either through a community college
or to a, business association.
So there's a variety of different ways
that our local workforce areas
can help individuals and employers
really, build a talent pool.
They the.
One last thing I will say is one of
the things that Illinois is leading on
is this thing called, it was developed
by the US Chamber of Commerce
and it's called Talent
Pipeline Management.
And what it does is it works with leaders
in a specific sector
or industry to really determine
not only their short term talent needs,
but what are their long term.
So it's everything from looking at what
is your current workforce to look like?
Like where do you currently get talent?
Where do you currently source to?
What are you doing with high schools
in your community to be given
to expose them to the types of job
that your sector or industry has to offer?
And this six six
element process really helps employers
really figure out
how they build an ecosystem
for their industry and really begin
to look at a pipeline similar
to how you would develop a product, right?
You think about what's the product,
how do you get it, how do you manufacture
it? We are now applying
that same set of supply chain management
to talent and to workforce,
and I think we're very excited.
We're really leading
and we're leaning into that.
And we're a state
that's really leading that.
And the US chamber has recognized
that Illinois as a state
that's really using that model
in a way that's very effective
to engaging employers
and getting our employers to really build
ecosystems and not just,
you know, a transactional system.
You know,
we need to move away from this sense of,
you know, hire fire, you know, rehire.
But the idea of you're building talent
and you're investing in it.
And I think that is one of the things is
how do we get employers
to invest more in the public system?
So that we're,
growing the talent together.
So, yeah, I
like to hear that that's,
something that I really,
and passion about it
relate to, communicate colleges,
you know, because we hear from, employers
sometimes of, oh, we only recruit
from the four year schools.
And I think that has been shifting
because they realize that they can
be building those strong relationships
with community college students.
So then before they go off
to their four year schools,
they may not be doing internships at those
locations with those companies yet,
but at least they're building up
those relationships for that long term
recruitment, that full ecosystem,
as you were talking about.
Yeah.
And I think, the Department of Commerce
specifically,
you know, one of the top we've been rated
one of the top relocation sites.
I know people, you know,
the news always focuses on
all Illinois is losing businesses,
Illinois is losing people.
But the reality is it's an ebb and flow.
Right.
And I think one of the things
that has been remarkable is,
Site Selection
magazine has rated Illinois
one of the top states in the Midwest
for companies to relocate.
And I think we need to get that
message out, especially to young people,
especially young people
in, you know, non-urban settings
that if you're University of Illinois
or another university,
there is great opportunity in Illinois.
So while California
and the, in the East Coast
might be attractive for some reasons,
this is a state that can really provide
great opportunity.
The cost of living in Illinois
is still much lower than it is
in many other states.
You have great recreational,
great opportunities to grow a family here.
You have a great,
you know, economic engine with the metros.
You know, Chicago area.
But areas like the East Saint Louis area,
those areas continue to expand.
Southern Illinois continues to expand.
We're going to see huge,
huge gains in clean energy
as the governor's, you know, goal
to make Illinois one of the top leaders
as relates to renewable energies
and moving away
from sort of traditional,
sort of fossil fuels.
But I think, again,
Illinois is an innovator.
Department of Commerce continues
to reach out to employers
talking about the talent we have.
We have a great education system,
as you well know.
And the education system is beyond
just our universities.
It's our community colleges.
It's our vocational programs.
There's just so much in the environment
for an employer
who wants to come to some place
and really grow.
I think Illinois is well
poised to be that place so.
Well, I love to hear that.
Know, a question I want to ask you,
and I think you just answered this
because it made me hopeful for the future.
So, like, what is helpful
for the workforce development in Illinois,
you just shared a lot there.
So I'll just leave it at is there
anything else you want to share, either
from that hopeful perspective
or just for our listeners to be aware of
as we wrap up here?
Yes. So I know that
for many of us,
you know, obviously Covid is still with us
and we continue to sort of navigate
that along with a host of other,
you know, things that are happening
within our society, things
that are sometimes outside of our control.
But I do really firmly believe,
at least in this state,
that we are moving in the right direction.
We're making investments, not just,
in the area of workforce,
but early, early education.
You know,
the fact that the governor has made,
you know, early childhood education,
one of the principal things it's,
you know, we want to invest up
and down the pipeline from as early
as we can to making sure that someone
who's thinking about retirement,
when we actually give them
pause and say, hey,
maybe there's something else I want
I could do, maybe I can become,
an entrepreneur and a manufacturer
because I've always wanted to do this.
You know, I think the idea is
that lifelong learning is something
that we, in this state, I think, really
are working towards and workforce.
So people feel like
they're never going to be stuck,
that there are options
and there are choices
and that we will continue
to make this state one
that has an ecosystem that feels like
it's always innovative
and always evolving.
And no matter what happens,
in other places, you know, and Illinois
will always be a great place to work
and to live, so I'll leave it at that.
All right. Well,
thank you so much for that.
Sometimes
when I have the future of the workforce
and what we're seeing right now,
I don't always feel so
confident and happy
as I do, with this conversation.
So I really appreciate your perspective,
your insight on what's going on here
in here in Illinois and the resources
available to our listeners.
So again,
thank you, for this great insight.
And thank you to our listeners,
for joining us for this podcast.
If you do have questions for us,
you can submit it to Career Podcast
at Coda Edu or on social media
at Todd Career Center.
And you may hear
it answered in a future episode.