LLCC has been awarded $1.2 million by the Illinois Community College Board to continue the college’s Workforce Equity Initiative for a third year.

The Workforce Equity Initiative provides free enrollment for short-term training programs in such high-demand fields as truck driver training, IT support, auto technology, welding, basic nurse assistant, medical assistant, dental assistant, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy technician and others. Under terms of the grant, participants must be low-income, and 75% must be African-American. The goal is employment in a highly skilled, high wage occupation after completion of their training.

The funding allows LLCC to remove barriers to student success by providing a stipend, transportation and childcare assistance, job placement and other support.

Students interested in applying for the free training programs, as well as employers who would like to partner with LLCC in this initiative, can learn more at llcc.edu/open-door-wei or by contacting Candace Silas, director, at candace.silas@llcc.edu or Brandon Lewis, program navigator, at brandon.lewis@llcc.edu.