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The Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Workforce Board of Western Illinois and the Great River Economic Development Foundation will be hosting an

Employer Workshop

Wednesday, September 30, 2015
9:00 am – 12:30 pm

Oakley-Lindsay Center
300 Civic Center Plaza
Quincy, Illinois

Learn About:
– Surviving an Audit
– Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
– Filing a UI Protest
– Employer Services
– Local Labor Market Information

Stay for lunch!
Jeff Mays, Director of Illinois Department of Employment Security, will speak and host a question and answer session.

RSVP by September 28th.
Quincy Workforce Service Center
(217) 222-1560, Ext. 230

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Manufacturing Day Press Conference

Great River Economic Development Foundation, John Wood Community College, West Central Region Education for Employment System #240 and the Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois will hold a press conference celebrating National Manufacturing Day on Friday, September 25, 2015, at 8:00 am at Titan International Headquarters, 1120 N 28^th Street (corner of 28^th & Cedar) in Quincy. National Manufacturing Day is October 2, 2015.

Angela Caldwell, Workforce Development/Data Management Specialist, Great River Economic Development Foundation; Kim Boccardi, Director of Marketing, Titan International, Inc.; Mark Pfleiger, Director, West Central Region Education for Employment; Blanche Shoup, Director, Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois; and Mike Elbe, President, John Wood Community College, will each make brief remarks. Mayor Kyle Moore will make an official proclamation recognizing October 2, 2015, as Manufacturing Day in the City of Quincy.   

For more information contact Maggie Strong, maggies@gredf.org or 217.223.4313

JWCC to Hold Manufacturing Expo at Workforce Development Center

Robotics, 3D Prototypes, Pneumatics and Motor Controls to be on Display; 200 High School Students to Attend, Public Invited

John Wood Community College will host a Manufacturing Expo Friday, September 25 at the College’s Workforce Development Center, located at 4220 Kochs Lane in Quincy. The public is invited to attend from 12 to 2 p.m. free of charge.

The event is part of National Manufacturing Month and aimed at educating the region on the new world of manufacturing. More than 17 percent of Adams County employees are in the manufacturing sector, which is full of head-of-household careers for individuals with the right skills.

During the expo, participants will learn about the new technology used in the manufacturing industry through demonstrations and interactive displays. Robots, 3D printers, virtual welding, computer numeric control machines and state-of-the art industrial maintenance technology will be featured inside the JWCC Workforce Development Center.

JWCC instructors will demonstrate how a product is taken from concept and computer animation to its 3D prototype and production using new equipment used by regional employers.

Representatives from Knapheide Manufacturing, Doyle Manufacturing, Moss Industrial Training Skills, Sheet Metal Workers Local 91, Trinity Containers LLC, Kohl Wholesale, Fastenal and Lincoln Welding will showcase products and equipment during the expo. 

Earlier in the day, approximately 200 area high school students will visit the expo as part of a regional manufacturing career exploration effort. From 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. students will visit the JWCC Workforce Development Center and tour ten manufacturing sites arranged by the Great River Economic Development Foundation. Students from QHS, QND, Pleasant Hill, Southeastern, Camp Point Central, Liberty, Payson and Western in Illinois, Highland in Missouri and Keokuk in Iowa will tour regional manufacturing companies, including Titan International, Gardner Denver, Knapheide, Manchester Tank, ADM, Hollister Whitney, Gates Air, Craig Industries and Phibro Animal Health.

Information about JWCC career and technical programs, as well as admissions and financial aid will also be available. 

The event is a collaborative effort among JWCC, Great River Economic Development Foundation, Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois and the West Central Education Regional Education for Employment System #240. For more information, contact David Hetzler at 217.641.4953 or dhetzler@jwcc.edu.    

[share] A “ready” workforce is critical for business and industry to remain competitive and thrive in the global marketplace. That’s why Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, have taken significant steps to invest in the region’s workforce for today and for the future.

Adams County Works

Career Guidance – Prepare youth to enter the workforce.

Work Readiness – Connect the willing to work.

Transition Planning – Advance current workers.

These are the 3 focus areas of Adams County WORKS, a concentrated and strategic workforce development effort that began in 2013. Representatives from business, education, social services and economic development are identifying and overcoming barriers to employment to meet your future workforce needs.  

Learn More
 

Building for Quincy

On November 4, 2014, the citizens of Quincy passed a historic $89 million dollar referendum to build 5 new elementary schools, build an addition to Quincy Senior High School and make technology improvements throughout the district. A strong school system is essential to a thriving community and its ability to produce tomorrow’s workforce.

In the words of Qui ncy inventor Parker Gates, “Let’s provide the slap on the back, the encouragement, the education, the money, and prove to our young people that our faith in them is not just their tomorrow… but Quincy’s tomorrow, too.”

Learn More
 

The Quincy Promise

The Quincy Promise is a four-year pilot program led by the City of Quincy to promote career, technical, health and workforce education for graduates of Quincy’s high schools
beginning in the 2015/2016 academic year.

It will provide two years of FREE tuition for students who pursue specific programs at John Wood Community College that lead to careers that are in high demand by employers in the area. The program is funded privately by local industries that realize the critical need for a future workforce.

Learn More
 

The QU Trust

The QU Trust scholarship program gives high schools students an opportunity to start earning micro-scholarships for their academic progress and educational accomplishments throughout high school, starting as early as ninth grade.

Thanks to a partnership with raise.me, students can earn up to $40,000 in scholarships for a broad range of achievements each semester, such as improving their GPA, serving in their community or taking a leadership role.

Learn More

[share]Silvia Torres Bowman, Director of the Illinois International Trade Center of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will conduct a FREE webinar on the fundamentals of exporting and the benefits of international trade.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

During this webinar you will learn:

• Why go global?
• Sources of advice: International Trade Center Network
• Steps for export success
• Evaluation of market opportunities
• Financial and technical assistance to small and medium-sized exporters: the ISTEP Program
• Challenges and potential rewards of selling abroad
• Illinois Exports: 2014 Highlights

You will also have an opportunity to ask questions of export specialist Silvia Torres Bowman.

To register, contact Stephanie Schatz of the SBA at stephanie.schatz@sba.gov or 217/793- 5020, 114. Ms. Schatz will send a confirmation and webinar access instructions.

U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans

[share]Disaster loans are available from the U.S. Small Business Administration for victims in the declared disaster areas in Missouri and contiguous counties in Missouri and Illinois (including Adams, Calhoun, Monroe and Pike counties in Illinois) as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding occurring between May 15 and July 27, 2015.

**APPLICATION FILING DEADLINES**
Physical Damage: October 19, 2015
Economic Injury: May 18, 2016

What types of disaster loans are available?

Home Disaster Loans

Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate or personal property owned by the victim. Renters are eligible for their personal property losses, including automobiles.

Business Physical Disaster Loans

Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

EIDL assistance is available only to entities and their owners who cannot provide for their own recovery from non-government sources, as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For more information, contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800.659.2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. GREDF Entrepreneurship Director Charles Bell is also available to answer questions at 217.223.4313 or charlesb@gredf.org. 

U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans

[share]Disaster loans are available from the U.S. Small Business Administration for victims in the declared disaster areas in Missouri and contiguous counties in Missouri and Illinois (including Adams, Calhoun, Monroe and Pike counties in Illinois) as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding occurring between May 15 and July 27, 2015.

**APPLICATION FILING DEADLINES**
Physical Damage: October 19, 2015
Economic Injury: May 18, 2016

What types of disaster loans are available?

Home Disaster Loans

Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate or personal property owned by the victim. Renters are eligible for their personal property losses, including automobiles.

Business Physical Disaster Loans

Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

EIDL assistance is available only to entities and their owners who cannot provide for their own recovery from non-government sources, as determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For more information, contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800.659.2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. GREDF Entrepreneurship Director Charles Bell is also available to answer questions at 217.223.4313 or charlesb@gredf.org. 

Adams County Works Keeps Focus on Workforce Development in the Region

[share]Community and business leaders and stakeholders are making progress on a shared vision for workforce development in the Adams County region and are underscoring these efforts with a new brand. Representatives from the three Adams County Works teams shared progress and accomplishments as part of a press conference held on September 1st, in celebration of Illinois Workforce Development Week.

Previously known as the Adams County Workforce Initiative, Adams County Works is an effort that began in 2013 to identify and address critical workforce issues.

 The overarching goals of Adams County Works are to:

1. Prepare youth to enter the workforce
2. Connect the willing to work
3. Advance current workers

Three teams have been established to achieve these goals:

1. Career Guidance Team: Working with businesses to convey to individuals the career opportunities and earning potential available in the Adams County region
2. Work Readiness Team: Developing work-ready citizens to become successful, productive members of the regional workforce
3. Transition Planning Team: Ensuring that as workers retire, the knowledge of those retirees stays with local companies and within the community

Adams County Works is being guided by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Workforce Board of Western Illinois, John Wood Community College, United Way of Adams County, Quincy University, West Central Region Education for Employment System #240, Quincy Public Schools, Vatterott College and the Great River Economic Development Foundation. 

In the coming weeks, eDevelopments will feature the work and accomplishments of each Adams County Works team, as well as provide information about how employers and individuals may get involved. Anyone interested in becoming a member of one of the Adams County Works teams should contact Angela Caldwell at 217.223.4313 or caldwella@gredf.org.