Statistics show that Illinois manufacturing jobs declined 5.7% last year. This is due in large part to the lack of skilled workers available to fill open positions. William Stuflick, Dean of Career, Technical and Health Education at John Wood Community College, says “We constantly hear from businesses that they need a skilled workforce. Whether it’s logistics, engineering, design or manufacturing.”

A new workforce with strong STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills is needed. Those entering the field should be excited. According to Maggie Strong, Vice President of the Great River Economic Development Foundation in Quincy, IL, “it’s not your dad’s manufacturing it’s … a lot of engineering and technical thinking, so we have to be able to prepare our workforce for that sort of environment.”

Click here to read the full article in ConnectTriStates.com.

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