Innovative Solutions Award Winners

Give Me TEN is the kickstart to an industry’s work-based learning journey; specifically in the automotive repair industry in collaboration with small businesses, area high schools, CTE programs and Workforce Development. The Give Me TEN program has been proven and tested as a simple way for small business to grow their own employees and create its own skilled workforce through an internship and education to connect with area businesses to develop much sought after internship opportunities for students.

In the dynamic landscape of community and regional development, celebrating the innovative workforce and economic initiatives is paramount for sustainable growth. The Workforce Services Division of Will County Pathways 2 Professions Expo (P2P) symbolizes the synergy between visionary strategies and tangible outcomes, driving economic growth within the Will County community.

Land of Lincoln Workforce Alliance began an Apprenticeship program with the Illinois Rural Water Association after a referral from Illinois Department of Human Services — Rehabilitation Services. This project helped start a Water Systems Operation Specialist Apprenticeship with five water districts in Central Illinois. The water industry is unique in that it involves the daily responsibilities of public health protection, technical operations, and maintenance of critical but unseen infrastructure.

North Greene High School, located in west central Illinois, serves students in the agricultural communities of Roodhouse, White Hall, Hillview, Patterson and other surrounding rural areas. With approximately 250 students in the high school, quality jobs for youth are not always abundant in the area.