In this issue:
- Community colleges announce manufacturing academies
- Unemployment rate down for the month, but up for the year
- State requests federal disaster aid for summer storms
- Illinois headlines
Community colleges announce manufacturing academies
Five Illinois community colleges, including Parkland College and Illinois Central College in our area, are coordinating efforts to launch a series of manufacturing academies to train Illinois workers.
These manufacturing job training academies will focus their efforts on helping students get certifications which will enable them to pursue careers in high-tech manufacturing. The group of colleges also includes Lake Land College, Kaskaskia College and Lewis and Clark College.
Parkland College received a $6 million Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant to “expand and modernize the college’s advanced manufacturing and biomanufacturing training facilities, strengthening the college’s ability to prepare students for careers in some of the region’s fastest-growing industries.” There are two facility expansions planned at Parkland. One involves an addition to the building for welding and fabrication programming. The other will construct a wing onto a different building for biomanufacturing laboratories, industrial maintenance and other training.
Illinois Central College plans to use its $3 million state grant “to renovate and upgrade approximately 26,000 square feet of manufacturing training space in its Agricultural and Industrial Technologies Building.” Programs such as manufacturing engineering technology, industrial maintenance and industrial electrical are housed there.
In all, the state awarded more than $20 million in grants for the new manufacturing training academies.
Unemployment rate down for the month, but up for the year
The latest report from the Illinois Department of Employment Security found that the current Illinois unemployment rate is 4.7%, which is a 0.2% improvement from last month, but a 0.4% increase compared to this time last year. Revisions to July’s unemployment report put that month’s figure at 4.9%.
There were 6,175,600 non-farm payroll jobs in Illinois in August. The leading sector in growth was Leisure and Hospitality, which added 1800 jobs. There were 1500 jobs added in Construction and 1000 in Professional and Business Services. Illinois lost 6100 jobs in Private Education and Health Services, 1700 jobs in Financial Activities and 1000 Trade, Transportation and Utilities jobs.
State requests federal disaster aid for summer storms
Illinois has requested federal disaster assistance for eight counties, including Ford and McLean, following severe storms and flooding this summer.
The state-level disaster proclamation has been extended by an additional month to continue to make state resources available for cleanup and recovery. Illinois has been hit hard by storms this year, setting a record for tornadoes in a single year.
The state’s request will be reviewed by officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who will then make a recommendation to the President on whether to approve or reject the request. No timeline has been announced for a decision.
Our current bill backlog
When a vendor provides the state with goods and services, they submit the bill to the Illinois Comptroller for payment. The Comptroller processes the paperwork and pays the bill when funds are available in the state’s checking account. Currently the total amount of unpaid bills is $1,508,013,228. This figure changes daily. Last year at this time the state had $2.0 billion in bills awaiting payment. This only includes bills submitted to the Comptroller for payment, not unfunded debts like the state’s pension liability, which is well over $100 billion.
Illinois headlines
Slow down, watch for farm equipment: Illinois State Police
Illinois may miss out on $1 billion for education
Carol, Aaron Ammons’ trial rescheduled for December; proceedings moved away from Election Day
Illinois railroad workers urge safety during See Tracks? Think Train! Week
