GetIntoEnergy.org TroopsToEnergyJobs.org Members Only

State Consortia

Illinois

Visit the Illinois Energy Workforce Consortium website.

2019 Illinois State Energy and Education Assessment

2019 Consortium Activities

Illinois recently succeeded in getting a 17th career cluster for energy. For Careers in Energy Week, they held an annual contest for teachers, who are asked to send in pictures of energy activities in the classroom. Their names are put into a drawing to win $250 for classroom materials. The consortium is working on a succession plan and ways to re-engage corporate leaders.

Careers in Energy Week 2019

  • IEWC will be running a grant contest available to all teachers throughout Illinois. In association with IEWC, promotional emails will be sent to teachers encouraging them to discuss energy careers with their students. The email provides links to learning materials to be used in the classroom and details how teachers could win one of three $250 classroom grants just for using these materials with their students. Teachers can enter the contest by tweeting with the hashtag, #classgrant. Emails will be sent to Illinois Department of Education – Education for Employment Regional Delivery System Directors, Energizing Student Potential participating teachers, Energy Learning Exchange teacher list, Nicor Gas energySMART Elementary Education Program teacher participants (past and current) and IEWC member company teacher lists. The contest begins during Careers in Energy Week and runs through March 2020. Awards will be presented to the three winning teachers in the spring.
  • On October 12, Nicor Gas is participating in the Alive Center STEM Exploration Day at the Alive Center in Naperville.
  • On October 17, Nicor Gas will be part of the Bloom Township High School District 206 College and Career Fair in Chicago Heights.
  • On October 19, Nicor Gas is participating in the Museum of Science and Industry Science Works Event in Chicago.
  • On October 19, Nicor Gas will be part of NIU’s STEMfest at Northern Illinois University’s Convocation Center in DeKalb.
  • The Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC) recently held its lineman’s rodeo. Watch interviews with current and former students Jack Henniges, Sam Whittington, Jonathan Lopez, and Travis Staab.

2018 Consortium Activities

Key 2018 activities for the IEWC included volunteering for the Illinois FIRST Tech Challenge competitions and broadening the involvement of IEWC members in the CONSTRUCT Program begun by ComEd. The IEWC made a commitment to increase their involvement in the FIRST Tech Challenge for the 2018–2019 school year. Nicor Gas awarded a $5,000 sponsorship and, in addition to aligning with the state tournament, the IEWC is going to align volunteers with two regional competitions. The consortium welcomed its first contractor member, INTREN, and reached out to additional contractors about participating. The IEWC invited the Chicago Learning Exchange to present on an initiative with Dawson Technical Institute to pilot an energy careers program for teens that focuses on overhead line work. The consortium repeated its successful classroom grant drawing as part of Careers in Energy Week and received a governor’s proclamation to kick off a week-long series of events.

Careers in Energy Week 2018

  • Governor Bruce Rauner proclaimed October 15-19, 2018, Careers in Energy Week. Read the proclamation.
  • Teachers in Illinois received this email from the Illinois Energy Workforce Consortium, letting them know about Careers in Energy Week and the opportunity to win a classroom grant.
  • The Lincoln’s Challenge Academy Annual Career Day will take place Thursday, October 11, from 9:30am-3pm at the Former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul.
  • The ALIVE Center STEM Event will take place Saturday, October 13, from 12:15-3:30pm at the Alive Center in Naperville.
  • Science Works: Cool Jobs and Hot Careers will take place Saturday, October 13 from 9:30am-2:30pm at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
  • The Made in Elk Grove Manufacturing and Technology Expo will take place Monday, October 15 from 11:30am-4:30pm at Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove.
  • The Orland Township Job Fair will take place Tuesday, October 16 from 10am-1pm in Orland Park.
  • JA in a Day–Energy Careers will take place on Wednesday, October 17 from 8:30-11:15am at Hermes Elementary School in Aurora.

2017 Consortium Activities

The Illinois Energy Workforce Consortium (IEWC) has had an active 2017, culminating in a number of activities related to Careers in Energy Week. The IEWC received a proclamation from Governor Bruce Rauner proclaiming October 16-20, 2017, as Careers in Energy Week. The IEWC repeated its successful contest for teachers for the third year, encouraging them to discuss energy careers with their students. They have added Twitter as a means for teachers to enter the contest. Blast emails were sent to Illinois Department of Education – Education for Employment Regional Delivery System Directors, Energizing Student Potential program participating teachers, Energy Learning Exchange teacher list, Nicor Gas and IEWC member schools’ lists, and Nicor Gas energy SMART Elementary Education Program teacher participants (past and current).

Careers in Energy Week 2017

  • The IEWC received a proclamation from Governor Bruce Rauner proclaiming October 16-20, 2017, as Careers in Energy Week.
  • The IEWC will again run a contest for teachers for the straight third year encouraging them to discuss energy careers with their students. They have added Twitter as a means for teachers to enter the contest. Blast emails will be sent to Illinois Department of Education – Education for Employment Regional Delivery System Directors, Energizing Student Potential program participating teachers, Energy Learning Exchange teacher list, Nicor Gas and IEWC member schools lists, and Nicor Gas energySMART Elementary Education Program teacher participants (past and current).
  • On Saturday, October 14, there is a Cool Jobs and Hot Careers fair at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago from 10am-3pm.
  • On Saturday, October 14, there is an EXPLORE 2017: A U-46 Community, Curriculum & Career Expo at Elgin Community College in Elgin from 9am-1pm.
  • On Saturday, October 21, there is the NIU STEMfest at Northern Illinois University Convocation Center in DeKalb from 10am-5pm.
  • On Tuesday, October 24, there is a Grundy County All Eighth Grade Career Fair at Morris High School – District 101 Recreation Center in Morris from 8am-2pm.
  • IEWC member companies will issue news releases, have created special web pages, and will use social media to announce Careers in Energy Week. Nicor Gas is purchasing digital ads on Facebook and LinkedIn as well.

2016 Consortium Activities

The governor of Illinois signed a proclamation for Careers in Energy Week. There were events across the state, including a contest for teachers to visit the Get Into Energy website and demonstrate how they can use the materials from that site. The teachers had to take a photo. There will be drawings for three $250 classroom grants, which will run through January.

Careers in Energy Week 2016

  • Governor Bruce Rauner of Illinois signed a proclamation recognizing Careers in Energy Week as October 17-21, 2016.
  • The IEWC Careers in Energy Week website has a free Get Into Energy flyer, which teachers may print and duplicate for their students.
  • Teachers may access the Energy Learning Exchange website to download free energy career education materials or request a speaker.
  • Teachers can show how their class used any of the materials above for a chance to win one of three $250 classroom grants. All they need to do is email a photo and brief description (3-4 sentences) of how they used these materials with students to Illinois@consortia.getintoenergy.com with the subject line “Class Grant Entry.” The deadline is January 13, 2017. The drawing will take place on January 20, 2017, with award presentations occurring in March 2017.

The IEWC continues to work effectively through its taskforces. There was lots of activity during Careers in Energy Week, including a governor’s proclamation. Illinois does a good job keeping its website current: http://consortia.getintoenergy.com/illinois/. Their next meeting devoted to strategic planning update is scheduled for February 2016.

Careers in Energy Week 2015

  • Governor Bruce Rauner of Illinois signed a proclamation recognizing Careers in Energy Week as October 12-18, 2015.
  • The Illinois Energy Workforce Consortium (IEWC) has a variety of materials for educators available on their website: http://consortia.getintoenergy.com/illinois/careersinenergyweek/.
  • Illinois teachers can enter to win a $250 class grant by showing IEWC how they used the energy career materials with their class. The deadline is December 11, 2015.