Chamber Focuses on Retaining Young Workers

The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is developing several workforce initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining young professionals in Sangamon County. Kendra Vincent, representing the Chamber, provided an update on the programs during the October meeting of the Sangamon County Board.

County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said research conducted by the county's regional planning office identified a population gap among adults between the ages of 20 and 35. While Sangamon County's population is generally comparable to national figures in other age groups, the research indicates the county is losing younger residents.

Vincent said much of the Chamber's programming over the next year will focus on high school and college students, helping them develop workplace skills and become more familiar with local employment opportunities.

One initiative involves creating an online database of area professionals willing to speak with students about their careers. The database will connect students with participating professionals for 30-minute interviews covering career paths, workplace responsibilities and necessary skills. Job-shadowing opportunities will also be encouraged when possible. More than 20 professionals had registered at the time of Vincent's presentation, with the Chamber planning to launch the database to county school districts later this fall.

Another initiative will bring local human resources professionals into high school classrooms to help students prepare for employment. The Chamber is developing three classroom programs covering resume writing, interview preparation and workplace expectations, and mock interviews. The program is expected to begin in two Sangamon County high schools this fall, with additional schools participating in the spring and following fall.

The Chamber is also preparing to launch the Sangamon Intern Collective next summer, an eight-week program for interns, apprentices and individuals beginning their careers in Sangamon County. Primarily serving individuals between the ages of 18 and 24, the program will offer professional development sessions covering leadership, workplace communication and time management, along with community activities intended to encourage participants to build connections in the Springfield area.

All of the Chamber's workforce programs will be offered at no cost to participating students, schools and individuals.

In addition to the new programs, the Chamber has updated its online job board to provide a broader selection of local employment opportunities. Vincent said the previous job board listed just 21 positions from eight businesses in August. By the October County Board meeting, that number had increased to more than 1,800 available positions from 881 Chamber members.

The Chamber has also established separate job boards for youth employment and internships. The youth employment board will help teenagers identify businesses willing to hire younger workers, while the internship board will connect students with local employers.

Vincent said the Chamber has discussed the initiative with the University of Illinois Springfield and Lincoln Land Community College, with the goal of expanding internship opportunities for students attending local colleges and those returning to the area during school breaks.

During the presentation, County Board members also asked whether the Chamber was coordinating with other community organizations to assist with youth employment. Vincent confirmed that the Chamber has been working with the Springfield Urban League, the Lincoln Land Workforce Alliance and other community partners to share resources and avoid duplicating existing services.

Van Meter also noted Vincent's personal experience with the population trends the initiatives are intended to address. Vincent explained that she grew up in Petersburg, attended PORTA High School and earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois Springfield. After working locally for several years, she moved out of state for nine years before returning approximately a year and a half ago.

The Chamber plans to continue expanding its workforce initiatives over the coming year, with the goal of connecting more young people to local employers and encouraging them to establish long-term careers in Sangamon County.