The Workforce Connection

What The Workforce Connection does

The Workforce Connection is a non-profit workforce development organization designated as the local workforce innovation board under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) for Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties in Northern Illinois. Operating as a business-led board since its founding circa 1998–2000 (originally as the Workforce Investment Board, then Northern Illinois Workforce Alliance, and now The Workforce Connection Board), the organization connects career seekers with employment, training, apprenticeships, career coaching, and youth programs, while supporting regional employers with talent acquisition, customized training, and apprenticeship development. It maintains three physical offices across the region — Rockford (headquarters), Belvidere, and Freeport — and operates as a partner in the American Job Center and Illinois workNet Center networks.

The service portfolio comprises two primary service lines. Career Seekers Services include career coaching, employment training, job placement assistance, the Elevate Youth Program, the regional Jobs Board, assessments, labor market information, and a Teen and Young Adult Summer Jobs Program. Business Services include talent acquisition, on-the-job training, customized training, apprenticeships, and employer upskilling. A recently added clean energy career training program extends the offering into emerging clean energy workforce pathways. The underlying technology stack is modest: a content-managed website, Google Forms for program applications, an online jobs board, and UserWay-based accessibility tooling compliant with WCAG 2.1. No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or API infrastructure is disclosed.

The Workforce Connection is funded through grants from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, with services delivered at no cost to eligible participants. It is governed by a business-led Board of Directors that includes senior representatives from regional employers (Chicago Rockford International Airport, Bourn & Koch, FHN, Highland Community College), operates without a parent company, and maintains compliance with equal opportunity, ADA, and Jobs for Veterans Act requirements.

Name

The Workforce Connection

Legal name

The Workforce Connection, Inc.

Website

https://theworkforceconnection.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Workforce Connection is a non-profit workforce development board serving Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties in Northern Illinois, providing free career services, training, apprenticeships, and youth programs funded by federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE), Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Employment and training
• Apprenticeship programs
• Career coaching
• WIOA job seeker programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: The Workforce Connection operates as a publicly funded workforce development organization. Programs and services are funded by The Workforce Connection, Inc., the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. This grant-based funding model supports free career services, training assistance, and employer programs for the region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Workforce Connection is a regional, non-profit workforce development board serving Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties in Northern Illinois. It delivers no-cost career seeker services (career coaching, employment training, apprenticeships, work-experience internships, and a regional jobs board) and employer-facing business services (talent acquisition, on-the-job training, customized training, apprenticeship development, and upskilling) as a partner in the American Job Center / Illinois workNet network.

Product overview

The Workforce Connection operates as a regional workforce development board serving Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties in Northern Illinois. The organization functions as an integrated workforce services platform offering two primary service lines: Career Seekers Services (employment assistance, career coaching, youth programs including Elevate Youth Program, apprenticeships, and a regional Jobs Board) and Business Services (talent acquisition, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and customized employer training). Supporting infrastructure includes Labor Market Information, Assessments, and the Teen and Young Adult Summer Jobs Program. As a partner in the American Job Center network and Illinois workNet Center, the organization connects job seekers with employers through a comprehensive suite of workforce development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Seekers Services Employment services for individuals including career coaching, employment training, job placement assistance, hiring events, and specific programs for in-school and out-of-school youth across Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties.
• Business Services Employer-focused workforce solutions including talent acquisition, on-the-job training, customized training, apprenticeships, work experience programs, and upskilling services for businesses in the Northern Illinois region.
• Apprenticeship Programs Workforce apprenticeship programs connecting employers with training opportunities for new and existing employees, including Registered Apprenticeship development and Apprenticeship Illinois video features.
• Elevate Youth Program Youth employment and training program providing work experience internships, career pathway exploration, GED preparation, and support services for in-school and out-of-school young adults.
• Career Assessments Career assessment tools and services delivered in coordination with the American Job Center network to help individuals identify skills, interests, and career pathway options.
• Training Services for Employers Customized workforce training solutions for regional businesses including upskilling programs, on-the-job training coordination, and retention support.
• Regional Jobs Board Online job board listing hundreds of positions across various industries ranging from entry-level to executive roles in the Northern Illinois region.
• Teen and Young Adult Summer Jobs Program Seasonal employment program providing entry-level and summer job opportunities for teenagers and young adults in the Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago county region.
• Clean Energy Career Training Free training program that launches careers in the clean energy sector, offered in conjunction with career services and education assistance for eligible individuals.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, primary, core and minor.

• National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026The Workforce Connection's President & CEO and Board Vice-Chair presented at the NAWB Forum 2026 on 'Leveraging Industry Partnerships to Tool Up Tomorrow's Workforce,' showcasing regional apprenticeship models and workforce board-industry collaboration.
• Goodwill Industries of Northern IllinoisprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey community partner providing work experience opportunities and employment pathways for program participants. Zaria's journey exemplifies the partnership, where she transitioned from the Awaken Foundation Program to a WEX/internship at Goodwill and is now employed as Administrative and Program Coordinator.
• Awaken FoundationprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing workforce readiness programming for youth and young adults. The Awaken Foundation Program helps participants develop workplace skills and connects them to internship and employment opportunities through The Workforce Connection.
• American Job Center NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Workforce Connection operates as an Illinois workNet Center and partner in the American Job Center network, a national system of workforce development service providers providing employment, training, and career services.
• North Boone Fire District No. 3minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for Elevate Youth Program internships, providing paid internship and training certification opportunities for youth participants like Rylee pursuing EMT and firefighter careers.
• Athletico Physical TherapyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for Work Experience Internship program, providing healthcare career exposure for Elevate Youth Program participants such as Jada, who completed an internship while aspiring to become a physical therapist.
• Concentric (company)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing company that hosted a Work Experience Program participant, providing hands-on experience where the intern designed a trade show display box using ordered and in-house manufactured components.
• Bourn & KochprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing company whose VP of Operations (Todd Wells) serves as Board Vice Chair and is featured in Apprenticeship Illinois videos highlighting apprenticeship advancement in the Rockford region alongside The Workforce Connection.
• Rock River Tooling and Machining AssociationprimaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional industry association partnering with The Workforce Connection and Bourn & Koch on apprenticeship advancement efforts, featured in Apprenticeship Illinois video highlighting workforce development in the Rockford region.
• Style House SevenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoman-owned salon in Rockford transforming how individuals begin cosmetology careers through a structured, progressive wage apprenticeship program, highlighted as an employer success story.
• GoodGradsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGED program partner that helped participant Christopher earn his GED through The Workforce Connection's youth program Elevate, enabling advancement toward career goals in computer science.
• CEJA ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and technical education partner where participant Christopher attended after earning his GED through The Workforce Connection's Elevate program, as part of a pathway toward computer career goals.
• Chicago Rockford International AirportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for internship program, where participant Teba completed an internship experience. The airport's Deputy Director of Finance and Administration (Shelly Cassaro) serves as Board Chair of The Workforce Connection.
• Highland Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community college where retired Board member Karen Brown served before retirement, representing education sector on the workforce board.
• FHNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare/financial institution where retired Board member Len Carter served as a board chair before retirement, providing healthcare sector representation on the workforce board.
• FurstConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm where retired Board member Karen Brown will continue involvement through human resources and leadership consulting following her retirement from Highland Community College.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois: Regional Goodwill affiliate providing workforce development, job training, and placement services in the same Northern Illinois geography. Both an active partner to TWC (hosting WEX interns) and a partial competitor for similar employer and career-seeker relationships.
• Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): Non-profit workforce development organization offering career training, placement, and employer services. Comparable mission-driven, grant-funded model with overlapping populations served (career seekers, youth, career changers), though operating in a different geography.
• Highland Community College: Regional community college providing credit and non-credit workforce training in the same geography. Overlaps on adult upskilling, credentialing, and youth career-pathway programs; also a TWC board partner via its recently retired member.

Direct peers

• Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: Designated WIOA workforce board for Chicago/Cook County, Illinois. Closest direct peer — same regulatory designation under WIOA, same funding architecture (DOL + Illinois DCEO), and overlapping employer base within Illinois, though at much larger scale.
• Employ Milwaukee: Workforce development board serving Milwaukee County under WIOA. Directly comparable as a county-level WIOA-designated board offering career services, employer training, and youth programs — operating in a neighboring Midwest manufacturing region with similar demographic and industrial profile.
• Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties: Multi-county WIOA-designated workforce board in upstate New York. Direct structural peer — same three-county regional model, same American Job Center affiliation, same employer and career-seeker service mix as The Workforce Connection.

Broad incumbents

• ManpowerGroup: Global staffing and workforce solutions company. Provides overlapping services (talent acquisition, training, upskilling) to the same employer customer base TWC serves, but as a commercial fee-for-service provider at vastly greater scale.
• Equus Workforce Solutions: National WIOA service provider operating workforce development programs on behalf of multiple states and local boards. Comparable service mix (career coaching, training, employer connections) at significantly greater scale; sometimes contracts with the same DOL funding streams that flow to local boards like TWC.
• ResCare / BrightSpring Health Services: Large diversified provider of workforce and community-based services, including WIOA-administered programs. Operates comparable career and training services under federal contracts at scale comparable to multiple workforce boards combined.
• CareerSource Florida: Statewide WIOA workforce system administrator in Florida. Operates the same core business (career services, employer training, apprenticeships) as a broader incumbent across a much larger geography with multiple regional boards underneath.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/workforceTWC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYrhiqmp6c7jpflFXyr8-iA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/theworkforceconnection
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-workforce-connection

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 The Workforce Connection