Beiser Sponsors Legislation to Narrow Skills Gap

State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, recently helped pass legislation to have the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to identify job opportunities in industries across the state.  

“When I talk to business owners in our communities, many tell me they do not have enough trained workers to fill open positions,” Beiser said. “These are often in high-paying industries, like nursing and manufacturing.

Under the legislation ISBE and ICCB would work with Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to identify industries in which workforce shortages exist or which do not have an adequate number of trained, entry-level workers. Beiser’s measure would facilitate ISBE sharing this information on their website and identifying programs that are available to help provide workers with new skills. When funds are available, ISBE can offer grants to students and the unemployed to help them pay for the cost of a training program. 

“As a state, we need to need to work with educators and business leaders at all levels to help identify and train people trying to find a job,” Beiser added. “If we can make sure this information is readily available, we can start to close the skills gap that is holding our economy back.”

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