The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has awarded $766,000 to 12 Illinois Community Colleges to help implement virtual reality (VR) equipment into existing Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs throughout the state. Overall, the funding will allow recipient colleges to purchase VR hardware and software to recruit and instruct students in a variety of workforce training programs. LLCC has been awarded $91,688 for the areas of health professions, workforce, and arts and communication.

“The Illinois Community College System is constantly looking to stay at the forefront of workforce development. This funding will not only help recruit students who want access to the latest technology but also provide new cutting-edge training opportunities to better position them for success in their chosen career fields,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.

The two-year grant program was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker in FY24. Individual grant amounts were awarded based on college program and equipment needs.

VR grant funding can be used to purchase VR hardware and software to expand or enhance current Career & Technical Education student recruiting practices using VR technology or start a new CTE program to include VR technology.