Media Center
Aspen Institute Names CLC as a Top 200 Community College for the 2027 Aspen Prize
Today, the Aspen Institute named College of Lake County (CLC) as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.
Local Organizations Recognized at FMA 2025 Awards Gala
SparkForce, the charitable arm of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA), hosted its annual Awards Gala, and among the winners from across the country, Lake County-based Grayslake Community High School District 127 was recognized for its commitment to hands-on learning and career exploration in northern Illinois, earning the Future of Industry Award for its innovative, student-focused, and sustainable Summer Manufacturing Camp program.
CEJA Workforce Hub Celebrates First Four Graduates of the Energy Auditor Program
College of Lake County (CLC), in partnership with Lake County Workforce Development and The Community Works, is proud to announce the successful completion of the Energy Auditor Program by four participants through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) Workforce Hub, a grant administered through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This achievement marks an important step in preparing Lake County residents for in-demand careers in clean energy.
September 17 Marks Inaugural National Workforce Development Day
We're halfway through Workforce Development Month and today is officially the first-ever National Workforce Development Day! The goal of today's celebration is to recognize the individuals, organizations, and initiatives that drive workforce development across the country, and provides another opportunity for us to share what we are all doing in Lake County to support job seekers and businesses via our local workforce development system.
LCWD Staff Presents to GLMV Chamber Leadership
Jeffrey Hubert, Business Services Manager, and Sara Espeland, Apprenticeship Specialist, highlighted training, pre-apprenticeship, and apprenticeship models to give GLMV Chamber of Commerce leadership a deeper understanding of available workforce development programs, equipping them with valuable knowledge to share with their members and new businesses moving into their communities.
Lake County Board Issues Special Recognition for 2025 Workforce Development Month
The Lake County Board issued a special recognition at today's meeting declaring September 2025 as Workforce Development Month in Lake County. This designation exemplifies Lake County Workforce Development's role as a high-performing and innovative leader in the community, steadfastly supporting the workforce needs of businesses and job seekers.
Two Local Individuals Recognized as 2025 Workforce Development Heroes
As we continue our celebration of Workforce Development Month, we are thrilled to announce two local individuals have received recognition as “Workforce Development Heroes” from the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). Please join us in congratulating our two local recipients, Scott Adams, President/CEO of the GLMV Chamber of Commerce, and Anjel Martinez, Accountant for Lake County Workforce Development.
Success Story: BCU and Work, Earn, and Learn
Lake County Workforce Development administers a Work, Earn, and Learn (WEL) Program in order to provide hands-on experience in various industries. Recently, Baxter Credit Union (BCU), a not-for-profit Credit Union, hosted three WEL participants/job seekers, helping them validate their skills in the areas of customer service, communication, financial knowledge, community engagement, and teamwork.
Labor Market Highlights: July 2025
According to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payrolls were nearly unchanged over-the-month in July, down -2,500 (0.0%) to 6,165,600. In July, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job increases included: Construction (+2,900), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+1,700), and Private Education and Health Services (+1,100).
Life Sciences Investment Reaches Record-Breaking $1.24B in Illinois
iBIO, the life sciences industry association representing 85,000 life sciences employees at member companies, universities, service providers, and venture firms has released its inaugural Annual Venture Report. Key Statistics: $1.24B Total Investment; 99 Companies Funded; 93,402 Life Sciences Jobs; 20x Growth Rate vs. State Average.