Illinois places No. 3 nationally and No. 1 regionally for workforce development in new Site Selection Magazine rankings, Chicago region ranks as top 5 tech hub.
Site Selection ranks Illinois No. 3 nationally and No. 1 regionally for workforce development, a testament to the state’s large, diverse, and skilled talent pool, cutting-edge training programs, and smart investments.
The leading economic development publication based its rankings on a robust set of criteria that measure workforce productivity, skills, and value, utilizing data from organizations such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, SkillsUSA, Lumina Foundation, ACT, and Strada.
Why Illinois for workforce development?
- From TCCI Manufacturing’s Clean Energy Innovation Hub in Decatur to Southwestern Illinois College’s Advanced Manufacturing Academy in Belleville, innovative programs are training students across the state for jobs of today and tomorrow. Announced today, Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced that $24 million is now available in grant funding to establish six new Manufacturing Training Academies (MTAs) at community colleges in the state’s downstate regions to expand training for high-demand manufacturing jobs in Illinois.
- Illinois continues to invest in its people. In 2025, Illinois awarded $30M+ across apprenticeship programs and $80M to support job creation in the clean energy industry through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Additionally, the State announced the availability of $10M in new funding for the Job Training and Economic Development (JTED) Program, an initiative that provides wrap-around services and training to bolster equitable workforce recovery for Illinoisans struggling to gain meaningful employment.
- Illinois’ talent pipeline ensures a steady stream of talent for companies looking to grow. The state is home to the third-largest community college system in the country and to top universities, such as the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Additionally, Site Selection named Chicago / Naperville / Elgin region the No. 4 metro for North American tech hubs in 2026, moving up two spots from last year.
The rankings come on the heels of a record-breaking year for economic development in Illinois, as highlighted by Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. In 2025, Illinois achieved a record $13 billion in incentivized investments and major growth across key industries, such as quantum computing, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.
RELATED POSTS
