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Illinois

Job Shortages

The tables below show the top three occupations that are projected from 2018-2028 of Illinois employers based on the level of education they require. There is a state minimum wage of $11.00 in Illinois. The one highlighted occupation under each of the three education levels has been selected to expand on in terms of potential career advancement.

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Potential Career Advancement

1) Food Preparation Worker to Certified Food Manager

Food Preparation Worker Job Description: 

  • Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking 

Entry Level Requirements 

  • Food Handler Certification – required by Illinois state law 30 days after hire 
  • Obtain Food Handler Certification online here ($7, 2 hours); click here to take exam in Español, 普通话, 한국어, Việt, American Sign Language, Tagalog, Serbo-Croatian

 Certified Food Manager Job Description: 

  • Responsible for food safety to protect the public from foodborne illness 

Career Advancement Requirements:  

  • Complete 8 hours of mandatory course training 
  • Pass the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certification exam ($55)

2.) Teacher Assistant to Elementary School Teacher

Teacher Assistant Job Description: 

  • Assist in the teaching of academic and social skills to students at any and all school levels 

Entry Level Requirements:  

  • Associate’s degree OR 60 completed semester hours OR High School Diploma and achieve a score of 460+ on the ETS Parapro Exam ($45) 
  • Study materials for the ETS Parapro Exam are found here 

 Elementary School Teacher Job Description: 

  • Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level 

Career Advancement Requirements:  

  • Obtain Bachelor’s degree
  • Complete state-approved teacher preparation programs at an accredited college or university
  • Pass the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS):  Test of Academic Proficiency exam (240+ score)and pass the ILTS: Elementary/Middle Grades exam (240+ score)

3.) Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner

Registered Nurse Job Description: 

  • Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and administer nursing care 

Entry Level Requirements 

  • Complete a state-approved nursing program  
  • Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam ($200)

 Nurse Practitioner Job Description: 

  • Diagnose and treat patients independently or as part of a healthcare team 

Career Advancement Requirements:  

  • Earn a graduate degree in a chosen nursing specialization  
  • Become nationally certified by an accredited agency & become licensed in Illinois 
  • List of online nurse practitioner programs in Illinois found here 
  • Apply for license

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Immigration in Illinois

The following are facts about the immigrant community in Illinois

  • Immigrants comprise 14% of the state population and 18% of the Illinois labor force 
  • Top industries of immigrant employment: 
    • Manufacturing, 218,530 workers 
    • Health Care and Social Assistance, 158,663 workers 
    • Accommodation and Food Services, 125,897 workers 
    • Retail trade, 112,570 workers
    • Administrative & Support, Waste Management & Remediation Service, 96,137 worker
  • 137,907 immigrant business owners account for 23% of all self-employed Illinois residents
  • 52% of immigrants in Illinois are naturalized and 22% are undocumented
  • Top foreign-born countries of origin:
    • Mexico, 36% 
    • India, 10% 
    • Poland, 7% 
    • The Philippines, 5% 
    • China, 4%
  • 14% of native-born Illinoisans are children of an immigrant
  • Educational attainment of foreign born adults in Illinois:
    • High School diploma or less–  49% 
    • More than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree – 18% 
    • Bachelor’s degree or higher –  33% 

 

 

 

 

 

* Share of immigrant professionals, who are unemployed, employed at poverty-level wages in High School diploma or less jobs, or significantly underemployed in more than HS diploma, less than Bachelor’s degree jobs 

 

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Sources

Jobs

Projections Managing Partnership (PMP), Projections Central – State Occupational Projections, “Long Term Occupational Projection (2018-2028)”;  http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates; https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm  

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, “Education and training assignments by detailed occupation,” 2019; https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm  

National Council of State Legislatures, “State Minimum Wages”, December 2020; http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx#Table 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic News Release, “Employees on Nonfarm Payrolls by State, Seasonally adjusted”, November 2020; https://www.bls.gov/news.release/laus.t03.htm  

Potential Career Advancement 

National Conference of State Legislatures, “The National Occupational Licensing Database”, March 2020: https://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/occupational-licensing-statute-database.aspx  

Immigration 

American Immigration Council, State by State Fact Sheet, August 2020; https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topics/state-by-state

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