GPEDC | Regional Workforce Solutions
Students & Parents
Greater Peoria Pathways is a Leadership Community in education with exceptional collaborative efforts with educators, chambers, the EDC, Illinois Central College, ISAC, and the Regional Workforce Alliance to scale career pathways for every student.
Resources for Students & Parents
Greater Peoria has an incredibly collaborative community dedicated to ensuring that students (and parents) have every tool they'll need to be successful before, inside, and after the classroom. Educators, community leaders, and employers come together frequently to ensure that students in K12 and beyond are gaining skills that will provide prosperous careers and that efforts are aligned with current and emerging needs in the workforce.
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Our region takes pride in providing world-class educational opportunities to students in every grade and district and from every background and walk of life. Greater Peoria is an exemplar in driving a regional approach to education and student services with organizations like Greater Peoria Pathways and the Emerging Workforce Alliance (EWA) leading the implementation of strategic programs and events like GPEAK, the Workforce Equity Initiative, CareerSpark, the Discover Manufacturing Careers Expo, YouthBuild, and more.
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Greater Peoria is recognized as a leadership community in Career & Technical Education (CTE) as well as College & Career Readiness with Peoria Pathways as part of the Illinois College & Career Success Network and partners with statewide efforts to enhance learning outcomes for our region with organizations like EdSystems, NSF, AgTech Collaborative, ISAC, and others. Through these efforts, our region has consistently led the state in creating innovative programs that enhance students' abilities to align their interests with actual career pathways. It often sets the standard by which other communities launch their strategies.
Career & Technical Education (CTE)
Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs in Greater Peoria provide essential instruction for careers in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. CTE programs continue to strengthen students' technical skills and articulate transitions to postsecondary programs, employment, or both.
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Our region is supported by the oversight of Education for Employment (EFE) offices supporting quality CTE programs for multiple high schools & districts in their regions. Additionally, CTE programs receive funding from multiple sources, including the STAMP Grant, Perkins Innovation & Modernization Grant, and Illinois Youth Investment Program, and this work is supported by organizations like Northern Illinois University's EdSystems, ISAC, and the Illinois Education & Career Success Network - by which Greater Peoria is recognized as a leadership community in CTE programming.
Careers In Building & Construction Trades
Greater Peoria is home to more than twenty skilled trade organizations in the Building & Construction industry; as well as over one hundred employers with skilled trades workers. This industry is an excellent option for students who are looking for a rewarding and fruitful career and enjoy creating new things.
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Work in this field puts you at the forefront of innovation and revitalization in the region in new projects, rehabbing buildings to create new purpose, and solving everyday problems that have a huge impact on daily lives like access to water, electricity, or safe environments to be when it's incredibly hot or cold outside.
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Our region is served by the West Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council and we partner with them to build awareness of the growing need for workers in this space, to help students learn of great apprenticeship opportunities, and to facilitate events and engagements to help students better understand what working in the trades is really like, earning potential, and to make the pathway to a career in this space clear and easy to follow.
Youth Internships & Apprenticeships
Youth Apprenticeships provide opportunities for high school and postsecondary students ages 16-24 with the foundation to choose among multiple pathways. Apprenticeships are employer-driven, "learn while you earn" models that combine structured paid on-the-job training with job-related instruction in curricula that lead to attaining industry-recognized skill standards and an industry credential. High schools, technical schools, community colleges, or other higher education institutions can provide instruction related to the apprenticeship.
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Greater Peoria hosts several Department of Labor Apprenticeship Intermediaries that can facilitate their Registered Apprenticeship Program process by connecting employers and schools to validate training, create apprenticeship opportunities, and support the apprentice from program start to finish. This allows students access to great careers in high-growth industries which ultimately supports economic growth and prosperity.
Explore Greater Peoria's Career Pathways
Multiple great tools exist to help students (and parents) understand the work involved in learning the skills needed to work in a career they'll love. While we encourage you to explore these assessments and tools yourself, we understand that these tools are often most impactful when utilized with a career professional to assist you in fully exploring the results and resources available. You can seek assistance from several sources: your guidance counselor, the office of Career Services, or at any CareerOneStop in the region.
College & Career Readiness
The Greater Peoria region renewed its efforts to study economic development, including its talent ecosystem, which includes representatives from elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions, business-centric talent development organizations, opportunity population serving organizations, economic development organizations, and employers.
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For nearly a decade, this workgroup, known as the Greater Peoria Pathways as well as the Emerging Workforce Alliance (as part of the Regional Workforce Alliance) has evolved to scale regionally, connecting multiple employers and school districts across five counties to align career pathways to the PaCE Framework. The EWA coordinates this work alongside two other population-based strategies focused on upskilling working adults and supporting the success of adults with multiple barriers. These committees, along with the K12-focused EWA, are working to ensure they're utilizing the P-20 framework for moving the region toward the goal in which 60% of the region's workforce holds an industry or postsecondary credential to secure employment that provides a family-sustaining wage.
Junior Achievement of Central Illinois
Junior Achievement's proven lessons in financial literacy, work, and career readiness, and entrepreneurship are shown to impact the lives of young people positively. These lessons align with national and state educational standards. They are delivered to thousands of students across the region with the help of our education partners and volunteers from the local community. Research shows that JA Alumni are more likely to have a college degree, feel confident managing money, have career success, and have started a business as an adult.
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Junior Achievement of Central Illinois is an integral part of the career readiness for all students in Greater Peoria, organizing one of the largest Career Exploration events in the nation with the help of hundreds of volunteers each year to bring CareerSpark to our communities. This is a two-day event where thousands of 8th grade students gather at the Peoria Civic Center and explore industry zones where they get hands-on engagement to try hundreds of careers they could do right here in Greater Peoria. They also facilitate a virtual, advanced career exploration platform called CareerSpark: You're Hired which engages students and young adults in an in-depth, guided exploration of career pathways with employer-specific information made available to students looking for a future or immediate
Regional Career Services for College Students
Students enrolled at our regional institutions of higher learning have many opportunities to receive the support they need to turn their studies into rewarding careers.
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The Career Services teams and Career Centers at these institutions strive to be places where students come to be their most authentic selves. They take what they've learned and experienced in the classroom—and beyond—and apply it toward finding meaning in their work as capable professionals or in their life as post-bachelor's students and community members.
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These Career Centers also provide support in helping students identify opportunities for experiential and work-based learning as well as meaningful internships that will advance the students' careers and provide a solid foundation to start working in their desired field or industry. To learn more, visit the link below that matches your college, or explore the services available if you are considering but have not yet selected a local college. ​​
Strength of Regional Education
Students enrolled at our regional institutions of higher learning have many opportunities to receive the support they need to turn their studies into rewarding careers.
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The Career Services teams and Career Centers at these institutions strive to be places where students come to be their most authentic selves. They take what they've learned and experienced in the classroom—and beyond—and apply it toward finding meaning in their work as capable professionals or in their life as post-bachelor's students and community members.
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These Career Centers also provide support in helping students identify opportunities for experiential and work-based learning as well as meaningful internships that will advance the students' careers and provide a solid foundation to start working in their desired field or industry. To learn more, visit the link below that matches your college, or explore the services available if you are considering but have not yet selected a local college. ​​
Student Associations in Greater Peoria
If you want to make the most of your time in High School or College, joining a student organization or club is a great way to expand your network and foster personal growth. Joining these associations will open doors to valuable networking opportunities by bringing together students with common interests and career aspirations.
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These associations also help develop essential skills such as leadership, teamwork, and communication; students can even take on leadership roles within the club, organize events, and collaborate with fellow members to enhance the development of those skills.
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Greater Peoria hosts several student associations, from associations centered on career and professional development to clubs focused on sports, hobbies, and students' interests. These groups often celebrate diversity and multiculturalism and allows students to expose themselves to different cultures, perspectives, and backgrounds.​​
