Career Link

What Career Link does

Career Link is a non-profit workforce development organization dedicated to developing the workforce of Central Illinois. The company provides job search assistance, resume preparation, career guidance, education and training support, and employer connections to job seekers, youth aged 16-24, laid-off workers, and local employers. It operates through the Illinois workNet Center of Peoria and maintains physical offices across eight counties (Fulton, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford), with its administrative headquarters in Pekin, IL (Tazewell County). The organization is an integral part of the American Job Center Partner Network and is overseen by the United Workforce Development Board.

Career Link's service delivery channels include in-person office visits, monthly "3rd Tuesday" job fairs, career readiness workshops, virtual career fairs, and online job seeker resources. Employer services include incumbent worker training, on-the-job training, apprenticeship assistance, and workforce recruitment. Named employer partners referenced as case studies include Morton Industries and Saint Francis Medical Center. The organization also partners with the Illinois Department of Employment Security (co-located in Peoria) and Illinois state agencies including DCFS, CMS, and IDOC for government recruitment activities.

The organization does not have significant proprietary technology. Its core technology footprint consists of a standard content website, a Facebook page for job postings, and a LinkedIn presence via the United Workforce Development Board. It generates no direct service revenue from job seekers — all services to individuals are free of charge — and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The go-to-market motion is community-led, delivered through a hybrid of physical offices, events, and partnerships across the eight-county service area in Central Illinois.

Name

Career Link

Legal name

Career Link

Website

https://careerlinkil.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Career Link is a non-profit workforce development organization serving Central Illinois across eight counties, providing free job search, training, and education services to job seekers, youth, laid-off workers, and employers under U.S. Department of Labor WIOA funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAOAL

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYEDAAAOAA

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Workforce Development Initiatives

SECONDARYBPACAOAD

Career Transition & Reemployment Services (Job Search Support)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Outplacement, Career Transition & Workforce Redeployment

SECONDARYEDALABAB

Career Services & Career Readiness

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Academic Advising, Career Services & Student Success

SECONDARYEDALABAH

Employer Relations & Recruiting (Career Fairs)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Academic Advising, Career Services & Student Success

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Job search assistance
• Vocational training programs
• Career counseling services
• Employment placement support

Headquarters

HQ city

Normal

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grant Funding: Career Link is funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The organization administers Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs in Central Illinois. Services to job seekers are provided free of charge.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Career Link is a non-profit workforce development organization providing job search assistance, career counseling, vocational training referrals, resume preparation, and employer matching services to job seekers, youth (16-24), and laid-off workers across 8 Central Illinois counties. The organization also delivers employer-side services including incumbent worker training, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship assistance, all funded by U.S. Department of Labor WIOA grants and delivered free of charge through the Illinois workNet Center of Peoria.

Product overview

Career Link is a workforce development organization providing job search assistance, education support, training programs, and employment resources to residents and employers in Central Illinois. It operates through the Illinois workNet Center with locations across eight counties. The organization connects job seekers with employment opportunities and helps employers find qualified candidates through services including job fairs, career readiness programs, and training assistance. Career Link is part of the American Job Center Partner Network and is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Job Search Assistance
• Youth Workforce Programs (Age 16-24)
• Layoff Assistance / Dislocated Worker Programs
• Employer Recruitment and Hiring Services
• Incumbent Worker Training
• On-the-Job Training
• Apprenticeship Assistance
• Free Career Workshops
• 3rd Tuesday Job Fair

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully helped individuals transition from job seekers to career professionals (e.g., Ama becoming a nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 June 2026Illinois DCFS partnered with Career Link to host a virtual career fair on June 11, 2026, to recruit candidates for careers making a positive impact supporting children and families across Illinois.
• American Job Center Partner NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Link is an integral part of the American Job Center Partner Network, a national group focused on bridging the gap between unemployment and successful careers. This partnership provides access to federal workforce development resources and coordinates employment services across the network.
• Illinois workNet CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Link operates through the Illinois workNet Center of Peoria, serving as a physical hub for job fairs, workshops, and workforce development services in Central Illinois.
• Illinois Department of Employment SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located with Illinois Department of Employment Security at the Peoria location, providing integrated workforce services.
• Illinois State Government Agencies (DCFS, CMS, IDOC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState of Illinois agencies including DCFS, CMS (Central Management Services), and IDOC (Illinois Department of Corrections) participate in Career Link workshops to recruit for government positions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Jane Addams Resource Corporation: JARC is a Chicago-based nonprofit offering workforce training, career navigation, and supportive services to underemployed residents. It shares Career Link's focus on manufacturing-sector pathways, career readiness, and serving low-income job seekers in Illinois.
• EmployIndy: EmployIndy is the workforce development organization for Marion County, Indiana, administering WIOA programs. It is comparable to Career Link in mission, funding model, and multi-stakeholder service delivery, though focused on the Indianapolis metro area.
• Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership is the WIOA workforce development board serving Chicago and Cook County, Illinois. It operates the same American Job Center model as Career Link, with a focus on the Chicago metro area, making it a same-state, larger-scale peer.
• Worksource Oregon: WorkSource Oregon is the state's American Job Center network delivering WIOA-funded employment and training services. It is directly comparable in governance, funding model, and program mix (job fairs, OJT, apprenticeship assistance, employer services) to Career Link.
• Goodwill of Central Illinois: Goodwill of Central Illinois is a regional Goodwill affiliate providing workforce development, job placement, and training services in the same Central Illinois geography. It is the most geographically overlapping peer to Career Link, competing for the same WIOA-funded participants and employer relationships.

Direct peers

• Eckerd Connects: Eckerd Connects is a national nonprofit that operates workforce development and youth programs, including WIOA-funded services. It serves overlapping populations (dislocated workers, youth, low-income adults) with comparable training, placement, and case management offerings.
• National Able Network: National Able Network is a national nonprofit providing workforce development, employment placement, and training services — including WIOA programs — across multiple states. It serves similar populations with comparable job search, training, and employer services.
• Equus Workforce Solutions: Equus Workforce Solutions (formerly ResCare Workforce Services) is a direct operator of WIOA workforce development programs across multiple states. It delivers virtually identical services to Career Link — job search assistance, training, employer connections, and case management — under the same federal funding umbrella.
• CareerSource Florida: CareerSource Florida is the statewide workforce development board network operating American Job Centers under WIOA. It is structurally analogous to Career Link's role in Illinois — federally funded, multi-county service delivery, employer-job-seeker matching, and youth services.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill Industries is a national nonprofit operating workforce development, job training, and placement programs across the U.S. Like Career Link, it serves job seekers, youth, and employers with federally-funded pathways; Goodwill is a much larger incumbent with similar mission, services, and funding mechanisms (including WIOA).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Careerlink16
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-workforce-development-board

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Career Link