Goal

Workforce Development

Cultivate a resilient and adaptable workforce to meet the evolving demands of the business community, promote economic development, and maximize opportunities for our workforce and businesses.

The state of the workforce in DuPage County, regionally, and nationally continues to be in flux post-pandemic. Demographic shifts coupled with the residual effects that COVID-19 had on labor force participation and job/work preferences have yielded workforce shortages in certain sectors of our economy.

Environmental stewardship and increased focus on sustainability will continue creating new career opportunities, while technological advances in automation and artificial intelligence could affect the number of jobs in certain sectors and the way that work is performed in others.

Through this period of change, the continued economic development of DuPage County will depend on successful development of the local and regional workforce. Ensuring there is a sufficient number of workers possessing the right skills in the most strategically important areas of our economy, both to sustain our current businesses and to attract future employers, is a key focus. During a period of worker shortages in which jobs available may not align with worker preference, Choose DuPage must work with stakeholders to bridge gaps where possible and ensure strategic workforce development in high-priority sectors.

Key Activities:

  • Work to connect and expand the available labor force to employers by identifying and engaging all talent pools (i.e., DEIA, parents return to work project, etc.)
  • Collaborate with local and regional partners to identify industry sectors and occupations that are most critical to the future of our regional economy, including coordination of efforts between GCEP and the Workforce Partners of Metro Chicago.
  • Raise awareness for employment and career programs and resources within key occupational areas and industry sectors.
  • Promote partnerships between the business community, educational and training institutions, labor unions, career centers, and other key stakeholders, including support for the Local Workforce Innovation Board, to better understand the needs and actively promote key occupational areas.
  • Work with partners to develop a pipeline of talent and resources equipped to contribute to the clean energy industry and an environmentally sustainable future.
  • Maximize the contributions of all current and potential workers in DuPage County by demonstrating a collective commitment to diverse and inclusive hiring, including through advocacy for competency-based job requirements.
  • Continue to identify and support programs that help break down the barriers to enhancing workforce development locally (i.e., identify model workforce housing solutions, last mile transportation solutions, etc.)