Area Manufacturers Learn of Workforce Development Resources

[May 06, 2014]  LINCOLN - Logan County manufacturers, including representatives from Eaton Corporation in Lincoln and Inland Tool Company in Mount Pulaski, joined with several representatives from local, state, and federal programs at a Manufacturer’s Council meeting on Wednesday, April 30^th. The purpose of the meeting, held onsite at Eaton, was to brief Logan County manufacturers regarding workforce development training programs and resources available to their companies from a variety of sources.

Vladimir Salazar, Eaton’s plant manager who was in attendance, commented at the meeting’s conclusion, “The meeting was very beneficial in that we learned about federal and state programs that are available that can fuel manufacturing growth in our area.”

The resource representatives on hand to assist Logan County manufacturers included: Ann Schneider, Executive Director of the Land of Lincoln Workforce Alliance; Larry Peterson, Project Manager of the Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM) program; Rob Newbold, Regional Manager of the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC); Bob Shaw, Dean of the Science – Technology – Engineering & Math (STEM) program at Heartland Community College, Kristi Powell, Associate Director of Heartland’s Lincoln Campus, and Sally Hanley, Economic Development Director of the Economic Development District of Central Illinois, of which Logan County is a member.

The meeting was organized and facilitated by Bill Thomas, Interim Executive Director of the Lincoln/Logan County Development Partnership (LLCD). LLCDP Board Chairman, Bob Pharis, also attended. Patty Becker, Human Resources Manager of Eaton, acted as host.  

At the conclusion of the Manufacturer’s Council, follow-up steps were identified for both Eaton Corporation and Inland Tool Company in terms of accessing and taking advantage of the programs that were presented and discussed. The LLCDP will continue to reach out to other Logan County manufacturers unable to attend the Manufacturer’s Council so that they, too, have the opportunity to avail themselves of the workforce development resources. All Logan County Manufacturers are encouraged to contact the LLCDP office for further information.

[Text received from BILL THOMAS, Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership]