CHICAGO HEIGHTS – State Senator Patrick Joyce helped secure a $484,000 state grant through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program for the Bethel Family Resource Center in Chicago Heights.
“Running five years strong, the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program has proven its effectiveness in opening doors for residents of the 40th District,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “With this funding, Bethel Family Resource Center will continue to give the local community pathways to reliable employment.”
The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program launched in 2021 with the goal of increasing diversity and access to apprenticeship programs. Comprehensive pre-apprenticeship programs help participants gain admission to apprenticeship programs, which provide a greater opportunity to obtain employment in the construction trades and secure a lifelong career.
Through Illinois Works, DCEO is expanding its statewide network of providers to recruit, prescreen and provide pre-apprenticeship skills training. Equally important, the program providers offer structured pathways and manage the program graduates' transition from the pre-apprenticeship program to a full apprenticeship program in construction and the building trades.
Click here to learn more about the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program.
