Job Center of Lake County

The Job Center of Lake County assists local companies with their recruitment and training needs. The Center utilizes a number of different methods to locate potential employees, including:

• Illinois Skills Match database: post entry-level to management level jobs. Access to this effective skills matching data bank website allows employers to target skills they are seeking in candidates.
• General Job Fairs: The Job Center plans and conducts large job fairs that involve many employers.
• Company Specific Job Fair: Recruit prospective employees at Job Centers. Through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the Job Center of Lake County can also assist employers in accessing job-training grants to upgrade new or incumbent workers’ skills for the competitive global market:
• On-the-Job Training Grant (OJT): Leverage Employers’ training investments by contributing up to 50% of the OJT participants’ wages to employers wishing to upgrade the skills of new and incumbent workers. OJT’s can be used for a variety of training programs including Registered Apprenticeship programs.
• Customized Training Grant: Reimburse businesses for 50% the costs involved in training a qualified worker. The training is designed to meet the special requirements of an individual employer or a group of employers and is conducted with the commitment by the employer(s) to hire trainees after successful training completion. Employer’s with employees in registered apprenticeship programs may find it valuable to utilize customized training to subsidize the classroom training portion at least 50%.
• Incumbent Worker Training (IWT): Affords employers the opportunity to upgrade their current workforce’s skills in an effort to remain competitive in regional and global markets. Companies that are eligible for Incumbent Worker Training assistance include the following: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation, Warehousing, Logistics, Finance and Insurance and Construction. IWT is “em ployer driven” and responds to changes in current market conditions as well as to the introduction of new technology or new product lines. A single employer or group of related employers may use IWT to leverage their training budget. This program will contribute between 50-90% toward the cost of training, depending upon the size of the business.

No application is necessary. Representatives of The Job Center will meet with company representatives to establish a customized course of action tailored to the company’s needs.

Lake County Partners is actively involved with the Job Center and can help your company access these valuable program. For assistance, please contact Bill Whitmer, VP of Economic Development at (847) 247-0137 or at wwhitmer@lakecountypartners.com.