Effingham Illinois

5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 Expanding an outer belt around the north and west sides of the city is another ongoing effort. “A large portion of that along the outer belt west is complete.” Miller elaborates. “Currently, the city is working on continuing that route from our commercial district over to North Route 45. We have plans in place for the next few years to budget, as well as apply for grants, to complete that roadway.” With a growing need for skilled employees, the Effingham Chamber of Commerce, the Effingham County PAVE Workforce and Education Committee, and other community groups have partnered to develop workforce development strategies. Sasha Althoff, Economic Development Specialist, relays, “What we’ve been doing with some of the groups are getting down to the high schools and the lower grades and encouraging career exploration. The chamber has a website called “ EC Jobs that they are utilizing in the schools, and we also try to connect any businesses.” In partnership with Lake Land Community College’s Effingham campus, businesses and employees can be linked with an apprenticeship coordinator for training opportunities. This can include skills certification for existing employees, as well as direction to benefits and tax incentives for apprenticeships. The Effingham Regional Career Academy is also in the works, offering trades-based education to high school students. This project brings together the college, and the area school districts, creating a space for students from the region to work together to focus on specific skills and share resources. “The goal is to build a building in two years, through Lake Land Community College,” maintains Miller. “It will allow a lot of high school students to get a jump on their careers. If they plan on going to a community college for a trade, they can actually take classes in high school. It gives them a start, to achieve a certificate or work toward their associate degree before they even graduate high school.”