Business View Civil and Municipal | February 2021

35 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL FEBRUARY 2021 INTERSECT I LL INOI S degree or higher, which exceeds the national average. The state is home to two top 10 U.S. undergraduate universities, the University of Chicago and Northwestern, which are also home to two of the top business schools in the nation. The state is one of the largest producers of computer science graduates and the University of Illinois alone graduates more engineers each year than MIT, Stanford, and Cal Tech combined. The state is also home to a competitive blue-collar workforce, providing the depth of skilled workers companies need. Its innovative workforce programs bring together economic and workforce development organizations, educational institutions, along with public and private partners including local governments and non-profit organizations. Get Hired Illinois, the State’s website to help connect job seekers with hiring companies, features more than 60,000 job postings, virtual job fairs, and over 160 employer booths, where job seekers can connect with hiring employers in real-time. Illinois’ recently expanded apprenticeship training programs, including a record 17,000+ apprenticeships in 2020, are an innovative example of the State’s workforce development efforts. Illinois is home to the world’s 18th largest economy and the nation’s 5th largest GDP. The state’s extensive business advantages and talent have attracted and grown some of the world’s most innovative and iconic companies including Abbott, Abbvie, ADM, Allstate, Baxter, Boeing, Caterpillar, Conagra, Deere & Company, McDonalds, Mondelez, Nielsen, Northern Trust, State Farm, and Walgreens. Illinois’ dynamic talent pipeline has contributed to a thriving tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem. A top location for tech companies, including a growing number of West Coast company expansions and relocations, Illinois