Pritzker launches "Get Hired" website to connect workers impacted by COVID-19 with employment and career resources
Administration also announces partnership with Coursera to launch in June, offering online workforce development courses for Illinois job-seekers

[May 20, 2020]   Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Department of Employment Services (IDES) today launched Get Hired Illinois – a new portal designed to connect workers with available job and career training opportunities across the state of Illinois.

Governor Pritzker also announced that beginning in June, Illinois residents will have free access to online workforce development courses via a partnership with Coursera. With Illinois facing record unemployment as a result of COVID-19, the Coursera partnership and Get Hired page will serve as important measures in the state’s overall efforts to get people back to work.

Residents and employers may access Get Hired at: www.illinois.gov/gethired

“The financial stability and success of our residents is key to getting Illinois’ economy back on its feet,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois won’t be restored until our workers and families have the opportunities and resources they need to build and fill their lives. That’s why my administration is working with businesses and industries across the state to encourage more employers to utilize the Get Hired website.”

The new Get Hired portal blends IDES and DCEO resources to provide a one-stop-shop for both job seekers and employers—providing information on job opportunities as well as unemployment resources. The page is designed to be user-friendly for job seekers of all levels and backgrounds and allows employers to upload jobs, virtual career fairs and training opportunities.

“Through a partnership between IDES, DCEO and the Governor’s Office, the State’s new Get Hired portal was designed to bring both job seekers and employers into a virtual marketplace so they can connect on job and career opportunities in real time,” said Erin Guthrie, Director of DCEO. “The Get Hired portal works to solve a goal that’s two-fold – helping our job seekers return to work quickly and supporting our businesses in adding talented workers to help drive our economic recovery.”

The state also announced a new partnership with Coursera, providing workers looking for new employment opportunities additional resources for professional development. The partnership will help individuals navigate new career pathways, with a focus on training in the Information Technology field. After completing the online programs, participants will have the opportunity to continue in their studies at a local community college or university, or to connect with employers through their local workforce boards.

“As COVID-19 continues to impact Illinois workers and the job market, it is more important than ever to make employment resources easily available to those seeking work,” said Illinois Department of Employment Security Acting Director Thomas Chan. “Get Hired Illinois will change the way job-seekers and employers connect in the evolving economy.”

Get Hired currently features nearly 60,000 available job opportunities in a variety of industries. While the State of Illinois continues to support businesses across all industries, it is working to encourage more employers to participate in Get Hired IL, and to upload newly created job and paid apprenticeship opportunities made available in the coming weeks.

The administration continues to work with Illinois employers, higher education and local workforce agencies to make additional resources available to job seekers in the coming weeks – including virtual job fairs hosted by employers. More than 70 employers have committed to hosting virtual job fairs through the Get Hired website, with the number of employers growing daily.

“Coursera is honored to partner with the state of Illinois to serve workers whose jobs have been affected by the pandemic,” said Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera. “Along with our community of partners that includes the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University, and the University of Chicago, we are proud to deliver job-relevant online learning that will prepare unemployed workers for new jobs and careers.”

As the nation faces record unemployment, Illinois has taken steps to address the high volume of unemployment claims reported as a result of COVID-19 and to increase availability of resources for those most in need. Those steps include: bringing online a new IDES call center, hiring additional staff to process claims, launching the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, and increasing personnel and technology to expedite faster claims processing.

Job seekers are encouraged to visit Get Hired often for updates on available opportunities. Illinois residents can access the Coursera platform on Illinois WorkNet beginning June 1, 2020.

[Illinois Office of Communication and Information]