The CEO Council is launching four new projects aimed at making the Greater Peoria area a more vibrant community. Continuing on its path of project-driven initiatives that promote regional growth, the CEO Council is focusing on programs that address regional needs in technical training and job preparedness, business attraction and job creation, and the growth and retention of existing business in Greater Peoria.
Jim Lynch, CEO Council President, says, “The CEO Council members are working collectively on key strategies that will make our community more competitive in the job market, more attractive to families and businesses, and an overall better place to live, work and play. Talent recruitment, on-the-job training, and community improvement are all topics that our business leaders view as key to the Greater Peoria area’s success and competitiveness. This is why they are top priorities for the CEO Council.”
The four projects include:
The Work Experience Program aims to identify, encourage and assist area employers with providing 1,000 non-permanent, recurring jobs or work-based learning opportunities to area high school and college students to assist them to develop job-related skills and attitudes. These opportunities may include full-time, part-time, seasonal, internships, apprenticeships, co-ops and job shadowing opportunities. This program will help to develop an educated and motivated workforce of high-quality, work-ready employees to aid the region in retaining and attracting business.
The Community Improvement Action Team seeks to enhance private and public participation in order to implement multiple quality-of-life and quality-of-place projects. This committee will focus on creating teams tied to specific community projects and assist in planning, priority facilitation, and capital acquisition. Enhancing quality-of-life and quality-of-place will help the region to retain and attract young professionals.
The Talent Hub Committee is exploring ways to leverage local resources and recruit skilled professionals. Collaboration will be essential for this committee as it reaches out to area businesses for feedback on recruitment practices, organizational needs and common obstacles to recruiting skilled professionals. The data will help drive this committee’s scope and goals as the CEO Council looks to assist the Greater Peoria EDC and surrounding communities in attracting young professionals and a skilled workforce to the area. This committee is also exploring the creation of a local data hub using best practices research from successful operations in neighboring states.
The Water Company Objective Study Group is seeking to complete an objective, fact-based analysis to determine the costs and benefits associated with the City of Peoria exercising—or not exercising—its repurchase provision of the 1889 Franchise Agreement. As part of this study, subcommittees will review the financial implications for the City, ratepayers and surrounding communities and investigate alternative ownership structures, infrastructure investments and service levels for customers. Additionally, there will be a review of potential impacts to the employees of Illinois American Water.
