Illinois bill streamlines manufacturing career paths for high schoolers

Republished by AIC Engineering. All rights belong to the original publisher; see Source below.

Dive Brief

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill earlier this month that, beginning in the 2028-2029 school year, will allow high school students to take career and vocational training as an alternative to the state’s two-year foreign language graduation requirement.

Depending on a school’s specific curriculum, courses could be offered in advanced manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, robotics, automation and other fields, experts say. Students not interested in manufacturing will still be able to take foreign language courses.

The bipartisan legislation “ensures that thousands of students will retain access to the hands-on training that launches needed careers in manufacturing,” the Technology and Manufacturing Association said in a news release.

Dive Insight

The bill comes at a time when manufacturers in Illinois and the United States as a whole are experiencing an acute worker shortage, despite some evidence that manufacturing jobs are increasing due to reshoring efforts.

A number of strategies have been suggested to fill this gap, including focusing on workforce development and recruiting more workers with disabilities and those who are formerly incarcerated.

SB3070, sponsored by Sen. Willie Preston and Rep. Will Davis, focuses on workforce development by seeking to ensure that students have access to good-paying technical careers in the age of artificial intelligence and automation.

“For many students, completing a [career and technical education] sequence can literally determine whether they walk into a USD 60,000-a-year career with benefits after graduation, or walk out of high school without a clear path at all,” TMA Executive Vice President Dennis LaComb said in a statement. “Illinois has made a decisive choice to keep those doors open for our next generation of manufacturers.”

Local school districts began restricting or eliminating CTE courses because of scheduling and staffing issues when the state’s high school foreign language requirement was passed in 2021, according to Sarah Hartwick, senior vice president and corporate board secretary for the Illinois Manufacturers Association.

“This came as enrollment in CTE, particularly manufacturing programs, was growing and manufacturers were looking for more skilled workers,” she said in an email.

“The bottom line for us was that not every student needs to attend a four-year university to be successful,” Hartwick said. “Students should have a variety of career options, including skilled trades. We shouldn’t create graduation requirements that unintentionally make it harder for a student to pursue an industry credential, apprenticeship, community college program or career in the skilled trades.”

This bill addresses that issue, she said, protecting students’ ability to stay in a CTE program “long enough to actually complete it.”

“Manufacturing CTE isn’t necessarily one class,” she said. “A student may start with an introductory course and then move into machining, welding, robotics, automation or other advanced courses. They may also have an opportunity to earn an industry credential or participate in work-based learning. The goal is to make sure a student isn’t forced out of a manufacturing or CTE pathway simply because there isn’t enough room in their course schedule.”

The National Federation of Independent Business, a small business association, also praised the bill for opening up more options for students and helping to meet small businesses’ hiring needs.

“There is a skills gap in Illinois’ workforce,” NFIB Illinois State Director Noah Finley said in a statement. “SB 3070 addresses this challenge head-on, creating pathways for students to pursue career and vocational training. It’s a win for students, a win for small-business employers, and a win for the state.”

The NFIB’s July jobs report found that 31% of small-business owners had openings for skilled workers, up four percentage points from June. At the same time, 27% of small business owners cited “labor quality or availability” as their single most important problem, up 8 points from June and 15 points above the historical average of 12%.

“Labor quality or availability as the top concern for Main Street rose in July, with employment growth falling behind the pace of economic growth,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said in a statement.

In a recent NFIB member ballot, 96% of NFIB small-business owners in Illinois supported SB3070.

Studies have shown the potential value of CTE programs. A 2024 report by American Institutes for Research found that students who participated in CTE programs experience stronger workforce outcomes, including higher employment rates and increased earnings, particularly in high-demand industries.

A 2026 study reported by the Thomas B. Fordham institute found that the average Ohio student who obtained a credential in welding, mill operating or another area of manufacturing earned 37% higher wages at age 25 than a peer who did not obtain such a credential during high school.

Recognizing this, other states have also built more flexibility into their high school education curricula to allow students to take CTE courses. For example, California authorizes local education agencies to accept a CTE course as a graduation requirement, and Indiana and Ohio have created pathways that recognize courses of study like technical education, industry credentials and work-based learning.

“This larger trend is an acknowledgment that there isn’t one path that works for every student,” Hartwick said. “College readiness is important, but so is career readiness, and our graduation requirements should recognize both.”

Source

• Manufacturing Dive (2026-08-20)
• Original article: Illinois bill streamlines manufacturing career paths for high schoolers