Jim Schultz, Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
By Reggie Greenwood
Jim Schultz, Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and Andria Winters, Deputy Director, visited the Calumet Green Manufacturing Partnership Employer Advisory Committee meeting Thursday July 16th. Over forty people including representatives of 17 manufacturing companies attended this meeting. The purpose of CGMP is to enhance the manufacturing industry in the Calumet Region by addressing the labor/skills mismatch and promoting careers in manufacturing to ensure a competitive workforce is a key asset for regional economic development. At this meeting, CGMP presented how the program has evolved to include seven elements which complement each other in our regional commitment to create a pipeline of trained manufacturing employees (see graphic). Jim and Andria discussed the State of Illinois’s commitment that workforce development is a key economic development program in the State. In addition to workforce, the manufacturing companies discussed other key economic opportunities in the Chicago Southland including infrastructure investments that will enhance our key competitive rail and highway assets. This meeting has created an avenue for further dialog between our manufacturing community and the DCEO.
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