Capital News Illinois highlighted two new manufacturing programs in Illinois, referencing AEE’s “Electrifying Illinois” report. Read excerpts below and the full story here.

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday the state is distributing funds to two downstate Illinois community colleges for electric vehicle manufacturing and renewable energy generation training programs.

Pritzker made the announcement at Heartland Community College in Normal, where one of the new programs will launch…

HCC and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville will begin enrolling students in their new specialized manufacturing programs for the fall semester.

HCC is partnering with electric vehicle automaker Rivian to establish a training academy for students who want to join the manufacturing industry…

SWIC will also add to its existing manufacturing training facilities to offer industrial electricity and welding manufacturing training…

Advanced Energy Economy, an industry association which promotes advanced energy technologies and services, released its “Electrifying Illinois” report earlier this month which shows the state is on pace to reach 83 percent job growth in electric transportation-related work by 2024, regardless of legislative action.

Electronic transportation activity in Illinois, according to the report, contributed $850 million to Gross State Product based on data from the 2019 United States Energy Employment Report, which was produced by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the Energy Futures Institute.

Read the full story here.