Illinois Central College is stepping up to meet the growing needs of connecting employers with credentialed workers by creati ... ng the new Workforce Development Division. Under the direction of Associate Vice President Dr. Andrew Kerr, the division includes College and Career Readiness, Corporate and Community Education, Earn and Learn Programs, and Career Services. The Workforce Development Division will be focused on delivering workforce programs that provide credentialed employees to meet the specific needs of Central Illinois business and industry. Employers are requiring workers that have hands-on experience in the field as their aging workforce retires. There is also a deficit of credentialed workers to ensure a growing, stable economy in the area. Currently, only 40 percent of adults in the area have some sort of credential beyond high school. The target for a healthy economy is 60 percent. These systemic changes will align both the regional educational systems as well as the retraining of the unemployed and underemployed adults, creating talent development pathways for regional employers. Our partnerships include working with the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and our K-12 educational partners. The adult population will be provided with detailed career information to support informed decisions about career selection and credentialing. For our adults who are not yet ready for a college credential, pre-apprenticeships programs will be offered to ensure readiness for required credentials tied to waiting jobs. read more