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Critical Skills Shortage Initiative
As part of a statewide undertaking to strengthen Illinois' system of Workforce and economic development, the Governor's office and the Department of Economic Opportunity have announced the need for local participation in the Critical Skill Shortages Initiative. The Critical Skill Shortages Initiative is designed to align region workforce strategies with economic development to provide qualified workers for critical skill shortage occupations, and will include:
Identification of skill shortage occupation that provide good wages and benefits in sectors;
Examination of both root causes and or job factors that lead to shortages;
Redirection of existing resources implementation of strategies to address these issues.
Planning for the Initiative happened on regional basis around ten designated Economic Development Regions (EDR's) throughout the state-the nine Workforce Boards of Metropolitan Development Region. Three key sectors were identified to be included in this initiative and links to information on these sectors is provided below.