KANKAKEE – State Senator Patrick Joyce is highlighting the announced $24 million in funding to expand Manufacturing Training Academies at community colleges and strengthen workforce training opportunities for high-demand manufacturing careers.

“Young people are desperate for new career opportunities, and training programs give them a path to follow,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “In my district, Kankakee Community College is already proving how community colleges can connect students to good-paying manufacturing careers with their top tier Manufacturing and Industrial Technology Center program.”

The funding will support the creation and expansion of advanced manufacturing training facilities across downstate Illinois, helping students gain hands-on experience in fields such as advanced manufacturing, automation and clean energy production. In Joyce’s district, Kankakee Community College has already demonstrated the impact of these investments by expanding training programs in clean energy manufacturing and partnering with local employers to prepare students for good-paying jobs.

More information about the grant opportunity can be found here.