Taking Back the Trades! Trades School Grant Program

The Taking Back the Trades! Trades School Grant Program, funded by the Illinois Community College Board, aims to enhance career pathways in the trades for underserved youth in Illinois. With $5 million allocated, this initiative addresses high youth unemployment and low graduation rates by providing access to essential vocational training. This program not only strengthens the workforce but also revitalizes the state's trades, ensuring a robust infrastructure for the future.

Illinois Community College Board
In 1965, the Illinois General Assembly established the Illinois Community College Board to create a system of public community colleges that would be accessible to every resident. More than 50 years later, the Illinois Community College System is the third largest system in the United States, with 48 colleges and one multi-community college center throughout Illinois. The community colleges serve over 500,000 Illinois residents each year in credit and noncredit courses and serve many more through public service programs.
This is the fourth year of funding from the State of Illinois to provide access and strengthen pathways to careers in the “trades” for young adults, particularly those in underserved communities marked by high youth unemployment, low graduation rates, or other relevant indicators. The ICCB will provide approximately $5 million in grant funding opportunities to be administered for the purposes of this grant.
The “trades” and CTE are critical to our state and nation’s infrastructure and with these funds, we are helping Illinois “Take Back the Trades”!