Jobs + Growth

Illinois manufacturing continues to lag

Illinois manufacturing continues to lag

Noting some hard numbers from November, Illinois manufacturers say they’re watching Springfield for decisions on taxes and spending as they keep battling in a worldwide marketplace. While Illinois gained a few jobs in November, they weren’t in manufacturing. Although the state added about 400 jobs in November, the unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to...

By Mark Fitton

Heather Sale

Heather Sale

“This is the best job I’ve ever had. “I was a nursing assistant before this. I have two kids and the pay here is so much better. When I came in [the owner] taught me how to weld and do other fabrication work. “But it’s sad that I have friends who want these kinds of...

Al Popovich

Al Popovich

“I’ve been doing this work my whole life. It used to be that you could get a job at Caterpillar and if you didn’t like it you could walk across the street and get another job. In other places that still happens. Not here. “We’re lucky our little shop has found a niche. We do...

Illinois loses people at a faster rate than any other Midwestern state

Illinois loses people at a faster rate than any other Midwestern state

Since 2010, Illinois has lost on net 2.6 percent of its taxpayers and dependents, along with billions of dollars of taxable income, dwarfing the rates of out-migration of other Midwestern and neighboring states.