Congressman Krishnamoorthi Meets with Chicagoland Community College Leaders to Discuss Workforce Development for Critical Sectors Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) brought together leaders, educators, and students from eight Chicagoland community colleges at Harry S Truman College for a roundtable discussion on expanding access to career and technical education (CTE) programs that are vital to Illinois' economic future. The conversation followed a tour of Truman's Child Development Laboratory School, a prime example of how community colleges are training students for in-demand careers in early education. The roundtable focused on advancing CTE pathways in sectors like healthcare, childcare, and the skilled trades-fields facing urgent workforce shortages across the state.

"Every Illinoisan deserves the opportunity to work a good-paying job where you don't need a four-year degree to earn a living wage. At the same time, our state needs high-quality health care professionals, child care workers, and skilled labor workers to grow our economy," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "Career and technical education programs at community colleges provide us with a unique opportunity to make both those happen at the same time. By investing in high-quality CTE programs at colleges from across the Chicago area now, we can ensure all Illinoisans have the chance to succeed while also modernizing our workforce to keep Illinois at the forefront of an ever-changing economy."

Congressman Krishnamoorthi has long championed CTE in Congress, co-authoring the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act that increased federal funding to CTE programs by $1.3 billion annually to meet today's workforce demands. At the roundtable, he reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that federal policy keeps pace with the evolving needs of students, employers, and educators.

College leaders underscored the importance of stable federal funding, expanded apprenticeships, and industry-aligned curricula to strengthen pipelines into high-growth career fields. They also highlighted the critical role of wraparound services that help students overcome barriers to completing their education and entering the workforce.

Participants included leaders from Harry S Truman College, Harper College, Elgin Community College, Joliet Junior College, Malcolm X College, Oakton College, Wilbur Wright College, Olive-Harvey College, and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association.

The roundtable discussion was the latest in a series of conversations Congressman Krishnamoorthi has initiated across the state to ensure Illinois students have the skills and support needed to thrive in a rapidly changing economy. Congressman Krishnamoorthi has held similar events in cities such as East St. Louis, Rock Island, and the Quad Cities in recent months.