WorkKankakee.org Relaunches with Improved Navigation, Content

KANKAKEE, IL – May 9, 2017 – With steady corporate expansion, Kankakee County consistently led Illinois metropolitan areas in associated job growth in the first quarter of this year. Among small Illinois metros, the community has led three of the past four years in job as well as technology growth, according to Milken Institute.
 
To better connect the Greater Chicago region with the wealth of employment and training opportunities throughout Kankakee County, the community has relaunched WorkKankakee.org with improved content and navigation for students, parents and educators as well as current job seekers.

“The WorkKankakee.org site has been active and seeing steady traffic for about a year,” explains Economic Alliance of Kankakee County Director of Marketing & Business Attraction Lisa Wogan. “It was created in large part to get the word out about the approximately 3,000 job listings posted on a monthly basis for the community.
 
“The redeveloped site offers enhanced information about the now 4,000 monthly job listings countywide,” Wogan continued, “along with news about local internships, grants and scholarships, training/degree options, career fairs, and more.”
 
A new job portal also allows employers to post job openings to the WorkKankakee.org site free of charge.
 
The Alliance joins a coalition of local industry, education and workforce partners – including the Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board and the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley – to administer and promote the site, its associated Facebook page and related community activities.
 
“Both our existing industries and industrial prospects are telling us that they need to see evidence of a strong talent pipeline in order to confidently pursue new investment in our community,” notes Alliance President/CEO Tim Nugent. “WorkKankakee.org is one tool we are using to build awareness within our community’s emerging and current workforce by connecting the dots that lead to relevant training and local career opportunities across industry sectors.
 
“Right now, Kankakee County is top 10 percent in the nation for attracting and developing talent,” Nugent continued. “We certainly aim to maintain that status, and this site is one important means to that end.”

The Economic Alliance of Kankakee County is a public-private partnership that works to create jobs and expand the economic base by improving the local business climate. Working under Kankakee County’s 2014-19 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), the Alliance is challenged to help spur $500 million in new business investment and 500 new jobs, along with assisting 150 prospective new businesses. For more information, visit kankakeecountyed.org or phone 815.935.1177.