Businesses
Welcome to the Illinois Community College System business services site. Community colleges provide comprehensive, market-driven services based on local employer needs. Colleges can analyze an organization’s needs and offer in-depth assessments of the entire organization. Training is delivered at the workplace, on campus, or on-line. Services range from professional continuing education and customized job training to entrepreneurship training, consulting services, government contract procurement assistance, and industrial attraction and retention.
Across the state, community colleges, through their business and industry centers, work with businesses, industries, and economic development entities to recruit and train workers, retain existing businesses, and bring new businesses and jobs to Illinois. Additionally, colleges engage local business partners through their participation on program advisory committees for the career and technical education programs. This provides industry partners with a forum to render input directly to the college – and ensures that community college programs are always reflective of the latest industry trends.
Human Resource Development
Professional Continuing Education
Businesses need employees who are skilled and knowledgeable in the latest technology. This is one reason why Illinois community colleges have seen an increase in noncredit, professional development courses. Professional real estate agents, nurses, physical therapist, computer network specialist, cosmetologist and teachers are just among the few who rely on the local community college to design and deliver classes and programs for initial certification and continuing education units that are needed to continue their professional status. Resources for continuing education may be found through weTRaIN.
Contract/Customized Training
Customized training continues to be one of the most requested services provided by the Business and Industry Centers at the community colleges. Individual companies require specialized training in order to meet specific technology and industry needs. Contract training assists companies in developing their workforce by providing basic educational skills, specific industry skills and highly developed technical skills.
Entrepreneurship Training
Community colleges offer courses for individuals who are exploring the possibility of starting a business or who have developed a home-based business and are in need of gaining information on business plans, securing finances, employment laws and regulations, and other details. Information about entrepreneurship training may be found on the Illinois Small Business Development Center.
Programs
Contract/Customized Training
Businesses seek assistance from community colleges not only for specific employee skill development but they also seek assistance with strategic planning, process improvement and other system-wide operations that lead to increased productivity.
Counseling and Management Assistance
Businesses and communities have come to depend on the educational information, support and resources that are provided by the local community college Small Business Development Centers. During the initial start-up, businesses often seek local support and resources in order to be successful. These relationships continue to grow over the years and develop into long-term mentoring relationships.
Entrepreneurship Seminars and Workshops
Community colleges across Illinois offer a variety of services to individuals who are interested in starting a business and for individuals who are currently running their own business. These services are offered via seminars and workshops and include development of a business plan, securing finances, addressing state and federal employment laws, and other details necessary to be successful.
Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion
Attracting, retaining and expanding businesses is the foundation of economic development and community colleges are playing a key role in this process. As communities strive to provide all the resources necessary to attract and retain businesses they are leaning on the local community college for assistance. Community colleges are providing various resources such as meeting facilities, re-hiring testing and training along with formal educational degrees that support the skills needed by the local employer.
Support Centers
The Business and Industry Centers located in each of the 39 Illinois community college districts provide assessments, testing, education, training and other business resources that are specific to the needs of a local business. These centers assist local businesses to become competitive and to increase their economic viability by increasing employee skills.
Small Business Development Centers in cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the U.S. Small Business Administration, provide technical and management assistance through one-on-one counseling and group training sessions to local business owners. These services may include development of a business plan, securing finances, addressing state and federal employment laws and other details necessary to be successful.
Procurement centers provide businesses with the marketing and technical assistance necessary to procure government contracts. Ultimately, the successes of the procurement centers provide industrial and service-based companies with government contracts that facilitate job creation and retention in the area.