Our Important Mission
The WIA Works initiative is a community of business and industry leaders, policy makers, and workforce professionals joined across Illinois to help career seekers’ dreams become a reality. WIA Works' goal is to ensure a strong workforce system while retaining room for local innovation.
Congress is expected to take up WIA reauthorization this year.
The WIA Works campaign communicates the Illinois Workforce Partnership's position on the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This critical piece of federal legislation provides the framework for our national workforce preparation and employment system. 26 Local Workforce Investment Areas (LWIA) make up the Illinois Workforce Partnership (IWP), providing a unified voice for workforce issues in Illinois.
WIA Works: Focus on Illinois Facts (click to show/hide)
Green Sector: 5,400 low-skilled adults, dislocated or incumbent workers being trained in efficiency and renewable energy jobs
Ag Sector: a new generation of agriculture entrepreneurs are increasing the number and scale of local and regional food system operations
Healthcare Sector: supporting more than 25 public/private healthcare projects addressing medical field skills shortages
Manufacturing Sector: 2800+ incumbent machining and metal workers upgraded their skills to reverse a regional skills shortfall
Transportation/Distribution/Logistics Sector: low-skilled adults gained entry level employment opportunities while incumbent workers gained skills upgrades
- Increased efforts to support special populations such as veterans, low-skilled adults and individuals with disabilities
- Provided services to veterans from job readiness to unsubsidized employment opportunities
- Advanced statewide policy to create future bridge programs at local level
- Illinois has become a leader in providing robust summer youth employment programs
- Supported programs that combine basic skills training with career development to ensure low-skilled workers with barriers can advance
- Illinois was selected to implement USDOL's "Disability Employment Initiative” promoting best practices and work transition resources to both adults and youth with disabilities
- Illinois' workforce network enabled thousands of people to help themselves in this recession
- In FY10, 96,000 individuals received self-access services via the Illinois workNet portal and centers
- Created the WIA Works Campaign to aid Illinois' 26 LWIAs in publicizing their services and success stories to increase awareness among the Illinois congressional delegation
Inform Our Policy Makers
Help us empower key influencers in the Illinois Congressional Delegation and Local Workforce Investment Boards to articulate our successes in the Illinois workNet® system and how to strengthen the workforce network's ability to help job seekers achieve careers.
Through outreach to the Illinois Congressional Delegation by local WIA offices, elected officials, and union and business leaders, the WIA Works campaign provides materials, such as the WIA Works Checklist, to inform elected officials and staff on how to evaluate potential proposals and language in the legislation.
The WIA Works community believes that if Congress utilizes the WIA Works Checklist (PDF) 
through the reauthorization process, the end result will be in the best interest of all Americans.
Welcome and Thank You for Your Support
WIA Works is an initiative to inform our communities of the important and successful work that takes place every day across Illinois within the state's workforce development network… Read more>> David Stoecklin
Executive Director,
Madison County Employment and Training, and President, Illinois Workforce Partnership
WIA funding is critical in developing strategic initiatives in key Illinois sectors like healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, and IT. I have seen how WIA funds enhance Illinois workforce skills and expand access to… Read more>>
John Rico
President and CEO,
Rico Enterprises
The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity is a proud supporter of WIA Works. Our collaborative relationship with the Illinois Workforce Partnership… Read more>>
Warren Ribley
Director, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity