About Us
The Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago (WPMC) is a 10-county consortium of Workforce Partners that oversee the public workforce system in each of their respective local areas.
Who We Are
WPMC came together with the realization that the economic vitality of each local area is directly related to the region as a whole. There are seven local workforce areas in the 10-county area known as the North East Economic Development Region of the State of Illinois (Economic Development Region 4).
Our goal is to coordinate across the Chicago region, share best practices and address common problems as we connect the business sector with the workforce resources they need. This includes:
- Providing funding related to employment, training and educational services;
- Building partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders from the private and public sectors; and
- Addressing sector-specific challenges and their root causes, while working in partnership with industry to identify and implement solutions.
This work helps ensure that the workforce systems in the region are more closely aligned with businesses’ needs and contribute to the continued economic growth of the region and the state. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago, please email us at: [email protected]
You can learn about our current work under Regional Initiatives, and get connected to the local workforce areas collaborating under Local Initiatives.
About Us
The Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago is a consortium of five Workforce Partners that have responsibility for development and oversight of the public workforce system in each of their respective local areas.
Our Mission
As a consortium of Workforce Partners, the WPMC is a leader in driving workforce development and economic growth in the metropolitan Chicago region through development of a skilled workforce.
The Workforce Partners will accomplish this by articulating priority industries for the region, maximizing investments in workforce development, and developing a talent pool that meets the needs of the region’s employers.
Who We Are
The region is comprised of the City of Chicago and Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.
To better understand the consortium, it is important to understand the foundation of the Workforce Partners and their role. Workforce Partners are business-led, policy- and decision-making bodies, with a majority of their membership being private sector businesses that are reflective of their local economies. Workforce Partners were created under a 1998 federal law called the Workforce Investment Act with a mandate to create a workforce development system that addresses the needs of employers for qualified workers.
Workforce Partners are responsible for governing the public workforce system and overseeing delivery of Workforce Investment Act workforce preparation programs in their local areas. Workforce Partners serve in the role of facilitating strategic partnerships with key workforce stakeholders to coordinate workforce development with economic development strategies. Workforce Partners promote the participation of employers in the public workforce system to expand employment opportunities for local residents.
The Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago have as many as 165 businesses actively providing oversight to an annual human capital development investment of approximately $65 million.
Download our brochure (.pdf).
About Us
The Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago (WPMC) is a 10-county consortium of Workforce Partners that oversee the public workforce system in each of their respective local areas.
Who We Are
WPMC came together with the realization that the economic vitality of each local area is directly related to the region as a whole. There are seven local workforce areas in the 10-county area known as the North East Economic Development Region of the State of Illinois (Economic Development Region 4).
Our goal is to coordinate across the Chicago region, share best practices and address common problems as we connect the business sector with the workforce resources they need. This includes:
- Providing funding related to employment, training and educational services;
- Building partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders from the private and public sectors; and
- Addressing sector-specific challenges and their root causes, while working in partnership with industry to identify and implement solutions.
This work helps ensure that the workforce systems in the region are more closely aligned with businesses’ needs and contribute to the continued economic growth of the region and the state. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the Workforce Partners of Metropolitan Chicago, please email us at: [email protected]
You can learn about our current work under Regional Initiatives, and get connected to the local workforce areas collaborating under Local Initiatives.