Every October is Manufacturing Month. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is celebrating present and future manufacturers in the state. Illinois is the "fourth largest manufacturing state in the country, with over 18,000 companies employing over 550,000 Illinoisans." DCEO will be hosting upcoming webinars showcasing manufacturing's bright future in Illinois.
This month, be sure you have the resources to reach your manufacturing career, training, and employment goals. Be sure to check out the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) website throughout October for events, resources, and learn how you can participate in MFG Month.
Check out the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center's (IMEC) page for Manufacturing Day for a list of this year's webinars and a toolkit on hosting your own Manufacturing Month event.
As part of their Make Your Way (My Way) Career Series the workNet DuPage Career Center is hosting a Virtual Reality Launch Event for High Tech Manufacturing on Thursday, October 27th at 11am. This event is targeted for young adults who will be able to "experience first-hand what it's like to work in different kinds of environments using virtual reality." Local employers will be onsite with activities and information about their work opportunities, training providers will share information about training programs and how they can be funded including how to pay for training or school and paid internships. Learn more about this exciting event including how to register.
Livingston Workforce is celebrating MFG Month by highlighting MFG. Learn more about the Made in Livingston County series on their Facebook page.
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (CCWP) is re-releasing episode 8 and episode 9 of its podcast, Hire Frequency, "No Grit, No Grease, No Grime – Manufacturing in the Modern Era," which features special guests mHub CEO and Co-Founder, and Partnership Director, Haven Allen; Just Ice CEO and General Manager of Fat Ice Conrad Burnett; Technology and Manufacturing Association President Patrick Osborn; and Symbol Training Institute Founder and Executive Director Diana Peters.
Webinars & Events
Women in Manufacturing
Wednesday | October 19 | 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | webinar
In celebration of Women's Business Month and Manufacturing Month, join the ecosystem for a day of connecting and celebrating women in manufacturing, engineering, and hardtech! The half-day program will convene influential women making tremendous impact in the manufacturing industry and empower young women interested in STEM to explore opportunities in variety of career fields.
Women in Manufacturing is hosted and presented by mHUB, in collaboration with Gender Equality in Tech (GET) Cities Chicago, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Chicago chapter, and the State of Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO).
CLC Advanced Technology Center Grand Opening Celebration
Saturday | October 22 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | register
Be among the first to explore CLC's new state-of-the-art facility for advanced technical training! Come see how a former big-box building was repurposed to meet the current and future needs of Lake County manufacturing, learn about related programs and meet CLC staff and faculty. This all-ages event is free and open to the public. Drop in anytime between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Training Options in Manufacturing
Thursday | October 27 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | register
Learn about training and career in the high-demand, high-growth field of manufacturing. Hear from panelists representing:
- College of Lake County's advanced manufacturing programs
- First Institute's welding program
- Symbol Training Institute's CNC training
- Learn about a grant that can cover your cost for training or a paid work experience
View Illinois workNet's manufacturing related resources below:
Also, be sure to check out these Manufacturing related articles on Illinois workNet:
Manufacturing Day brings together hundreds of manufacturers across America to host students, educators, parents, job seekers and other local community members at open houses and other public events designed to showcase manufacturing technology and careers. Learn more about Manufacturing Month at the Manufacturing Day website!
If you are looking for manufacturing employers in Illinois who are hiring, be sure to check out the Virtual Job Fair (VJF) employer booth listing and select "Manufacturing" from the "Filter by Industry" dropdown. Keep an eye on the Virtual Job Fair events calendar for upcoming VJFs held by manufacturing employers.
Need to update your resume for your next manufacturing job? Then be sure to check out the templates in our Resume Building tool for jobs in manufacturing. All you need to do is login to or create an Illinois workNet account.
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