Workforce Development

Workforce Development at Joliet Junior College is committed to encouraging local economic development by cultivating partnerships to provide comprehensive services to the Will and Grundy County workforce.

Free Career Information with Career Coach

Career Coach is designed to help you find a good career by providing the most current local data on wages, employment, job postings, and associated education and training.

Joliet Junior College Career Coach

Free Career Scholarships for Youth

The Connect to Your Future program is open to youth ages 18-24 who have earned their high school diploma or GED and meet income eligibility guidelines. Connect to Your Future program provides occupational training in high growth-high demand occupations in Will County. For more information, call Keri Peter at 815-280-1416 or email kpeter@jjc.edu.

The Grundy County My Future Youth program assists youth ages 18-24 who are working towards their High School Equivalency or seeking to enroll in occupational training and meet eligibility guidelines. The Program also places eligible youth in paid-internship opportunities at local Grundy County businesses and organizations.  For more information on the Grundy youth program, call 815-942-0566 or email grundyworkforce@jjc.edu.

Services include:
  • FREE occupational skills training, career assessments, one-on-one and small group mentoring and academic advising, work readiness workshops, and placement into employment.
  • Career Scholarships are available to Will and Grundy County residents who meet Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) eligibility guidelines


Business Services - Grundy

 

Programs & Services

  • Assessments

    Paraprofessionals (Teacher's Assistant)

    WorkKeys® Proficiency Certificate for Teacher Assistants for paraprofessional certification to fulfill the Illinois State Board of Education and federal "No Child Left Behind" requirements. The three WorkKeys® Assessments that are required for the Paraprofessional certificate are: Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics.

    The following scores are required on the tests:

    • Reading for Information - 4, measures the skill individuals use then they read and use written text in order to do a job.
    • Applied Mathematics - 4, measure the skill individuals use when they apply mathematical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques to work-related problems.

     

    Individuals looking for more information on the Paraprofessional Certificate can visit the Illinois State Board of Education web site, or contact directly:

    Will County:
    Lynn Svetlecich
    (815) 280-1526
    lsvetlec@jjc.edu

    Grundy County:
    Griselda Martinez
    (815) 280-6822
    gmartine@jjc.edu

     

    Castle Worldwide Testing Center

    Joliet: (815) 280-1526
    Morris: (815) 942-0566

    Workforce Development is a testing facility for Castle Worldwide. Castle administers professional certifications and licensing exams for a wide variety of professional associations and government agencies. Many of the exams are related to healthcare, business, safety, and design. View a list of available exams.

     

    Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Assessment (MBTI)

    $40 (assessment only)/ $75 (one-on-one session)

    The MBTI will identify personality strengths and unique talents. It will help you better understand yourself, your motivations, and your potential areas for growth and career options, as well as how you interact with others.

    For more information or to sign up to take the assessment contact (815) 280-1526 or email lsvetlec@jjc.edu.

     

    Strong Interest Inventory® Assessment

    $25 (assessment only)/ $75 (one-on-one session)

    The Strong helps you better understand your interests and match those interests with work, career options or leisure activities. You will discover your interests, preferences, and personal style – exactly the information you need to select a major or choose a career you can be passionate about.

    For more information or to sign up to take the assessment contact (815) 280-1526 or email lsvetlec@jjc.edu.

     

    StrengthsQuest™ Assessment

    $25 (assessment only)/ $75 (one-on-one session)

    StrengthsQuest can help you thrive in your academic career by showing you how you can leverage your talents to approach your coursework through a focus on what you naturally do well. It provides valuable information about who you are and gives you clues to the type of work environment in which you are most likely to thrive.

    For more information or to sign up to take the assessment contact (815) 280-1526 or email lsvetlec@jjc.edu.

     

    WorkKeys | National Career Readiness Certificate | CareerReady101/KeyTrain

  • Community Resources

    Illinois Hardest Hit program

    The Illinois Hardest HIt program offers temporary help to homeowners faced with unemployment or underemployment to catch up on their payments and save their home. Free application. For details and to apply, go to www.illinoishardesthit.org.


    State Government


    Labor Market and Training Information


    Other Helpful Links


    Job Search and Career Information

  • Career Scholarships

    Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

    What is WIOA?

    This Act provides financial assistance for education and training so that individuals can re-enter the workforce in jobs that will allow them to financially support themselves and their families. WIOA funding is designed to train people in short-term certificate or associates degree programs that will make them more marketable for occupations that are in high growth within the local area. By training the workforce in these high growth areas, workers are more likely to find better paying jobs and employers are more likely to have their staffing needs fulfilled.

    View the complete list of approved training program at Joliet Junior College and click on Consumer Info.

    Eligibility for Funding

    Training and education programs are provided through Joliet Junior College as well as other community colleges and private training institutions.

    Training Eligibility

    Recognize yourself in any of these scenarios? You may be eligible if you:

    • Were laid-off, downsized, or company went out of business
    • Unemployed and struggling to find a job
    • Job searching for a long time with little or no results
    • Underpaid, underemployed or under trained
    • Your education or skills don’t match your career interest
    • Self-employed for many years and now faced with looking for new employment
    • Youth ages 18-24 years and in need of education or training beyond high school


    Information

    WIOA Training funding is available to those who are determined eligible. To find out more about eligibility requirements for training funding you can contact:

    Will County: 
    Please adults over 24 years of age contact Workforce Services Division of Will County at (815) 727-4444 or visit www.jobs4people.org.

    For youth up to and including age 24 contact Cody Dailey (815) 280-1520.

    Grundy County: 
    Please call Grundy Workforce Services at (815) 942-0566.

  • Mature Workforce Center

    Mission

    To promote the continued vitality of the mature workforce through the delivery of a comprehensive system of quality employment, education, and training services that support local and regional economic development initiatives.

    Competing in today's job market can be tough, especially for mature workers.  If you have attended college but never finished or have always dreamed of getting a certificate or a degree, now is the time.  The demand for an educated workforce in your community has never been greater.

    The Mature Workforce Center was established to promote mentoring, volunteering, ageless learning, and re-careering programs for individuals age 50 and up. Programs and services are geared specifically to the adult learner facing the opportunities and challenges of leaving their current job and choosing a retirement job or second career. Programs and workshops, as well as access to a comprehensive resource area, are customized to meet the needs of the mature job seeker.

    The center is located at:

    Joliet Junior College
    City Center Campus
    235 N. Chicago Street
    Joliet, IL 60432
    Phone: (815) 727-6544

  • Youth/GED Program

    Connect to Your Future Program

    Connect to Your Future program is a program for youth ages 16-24 who meet WIOA eligibility. If you are in need of your GED, you can find more information at www.jobs4people.org. There is no cost to youth.

    If you already have your high school diploma or GED and are between the ages of 18-24 who meet income eligibility guidelines. This program provides occupational training in high growth-high demand occupations in Will County. Services include: FREE occupational skills training, career assessments, one-on-one and small group mentoring and academic advising, work readiness workshops, and placement into employment. For more information, click here or call Cody Dailey at 815-280-1520 or email cdailey@jjc.edu.

    My Future

    The My Future program offers Grundy County youth ages 16-24 continuous support through career guidance, employment, and internship opportunities, GED support and vocational training. Participants will receive training and services leading to self-sufficiency. My Future is funded under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board. No cost to Grundy County eligible youth. Find out more by contacting the Morris Education Center at 815-942-0566 or email gmartine@jjc.edu.

    Career Certified

    Career Certified addresses: soft skills; leadership skills; and cognitive skills so adults alike have the foundational skills to be prosperous. Work readiness includes specific work-related skills that adults need in order to be successful in the workplace. These skills are generally thought of as life skills with a strong work focus, including areas such as: work-related health and safety, work habits and conduct; personal leadership at work; communicating with others; team work and collaboration at work; rights and responsibilities of workers and employers; and customer service.

    To enhance training, personal assessments will be utilized throughout the programs. Personal assessments have proven to be an effective tool for improving the management of an organization and helping employees identify strengths and areas of opportunity. They provide an accurate analysis of employee's behaviors and attitudes otherwise left to subjective judgment. This analysis is essential to gain a competitive advantage in today's tight job market. Relevant personal assessments for youth and adult programs will include the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Talent, Fit, Performance, StrengthsQuest and Strong.

    In addition to soft skills, the work readiness program will assess foundational skills such as: Reading for Information; Applied Mathematics; Business Writing; and Locating Information. Curriculum will incorporate preparation for ACT, Inc.’s National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Plus and administering WorkKeys® assessments. The NCRC Plus is an ideal tool for ensuring that individuals have the essential skills they need for the workplace today while earning a national portable certification. These tough economic times call for clear pathways to skills in demand to help new and transitioning workers prepare for good jobs.