Illinois workNet is a portal for connecting employers and job seekers and expanding economic opportunity in Illinois. The Illinois workNet was launched in June 2005 by the Governor’s Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) that is currently chaired by Jack Lavin, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Ron Whitley of Cushman and Wakefield. The portal is a cooperative effort between state economic development, workforce development, education agencies, and local workforce investment boards along with their public and private partners including local governments, community colleges and non-profit organizations. It is designed to provide easy access to information and services through a network of public and private partners.
Illinois workNet's pilot phase ended in June 2006 in three Local Workforce Areas (LWIA's). Beginning July 2006, Illinois workNet entered a testing and expansion phase. As a part of the testing and expansion phase, thirteen LWIA's are implementing the portal. Illinois workNet is currently available in these areas as of August 2006: Bond, Carroll, Cass, Christian, City of Chicago, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Du Page, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jo Daviess, Lake, Lawrence, Logan, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Menard, Monroe, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Randolph, Richland, Sangamon, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, and Woodford. In these areas, resource rooms with trained staff that offer access to the portal include One-Stop Centers, including their satellites and partners, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, libraries, education entities, and other non-traditional partners.
To the benefit of anyone who uses the portal, new features will be continuously added during the testing and expansion period (through June 2007). Further, customer feedback is proactively sought as a basis for enhancing the portal so please participate with the online customer survey 
and let us know what you think about Illinois workNet.