Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative

The goal of the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative (“10% apprenticeship goal”) is that for projects estimated to cost $500,000 or more, apprentices will perform either 10% of the total labor hours actually worked in each prevailing wage classification or 10% of the estimated labor hours in each prevailing wage classification, whichever is less.  The 10% apprenticeship goal applies to projects being paid for in whole or in part by appropriated capital funds to construct a public work either through a contract, grant, or loan issued by a state agency. The State agency funding the project is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Illinois Works Apprenticeship Initiative for all contracts, grants, or loans it administers. 

For information on applicability, please contact the contract, grant, or loan manager at the State agency managing your contract, grant, or loan.

In July 2023, Governor Pritzker signed into law a new legislated goal that will increase opportunities for graduates, strengthen the pipeline for the program, and more seamlessly integrate the pre-apprenticeship programs into existing apprenticeship goals.  The new legislative updates require that (5%), half of the (10%) goal of the apprenticeship hours for each classification must be performed by apprentices who graduated from the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship, Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship, or IDOT Highway Construction Careers programs.   

Based on the Illinois Works Program Rules updates in effect May 7, 2025, there be significant changes to the way Illinois Works Reports project and agency compliance to the public, elected officials, and the Governor’s Office.

Starting September 1, 2025, Illinois Works must post project compliance data on the Apprenticeship Initiative website every quarter. The project compliance report will include the following data for each ended project be it that Illinois Works received a Certification Form or not:

• The project's county or counties
• The number of individuals that have graduated from an Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship program located within the county
• The five Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program locations closest to the center of the county and the distance from each one to the county
• Whether the project met the apprenticeship goal (both the 10% and 5% goal)
• Whether the contractor or subcontractor submitted a request for a waiver or reduction of the apprenticeship goal
• Whether the project was granted a waiver or reduction of the apprenticeship goal
• If the contractor requested but was not granted a waiver or reduction, why the waiver or reduction request was denied
• If the project was granted a waiver or reduction, why it was granted.

It is imperative that state agencies submit compliance documentation on timely manner, and it is vital they submit Certification Forms for all completed projects no later than 30 days after the project ends. Also, new Waiver Submission guidance will soon be provided to state agencies by the Office of Illinois Works to comply with the above reporting requirements.

The Apprenticeship Initiative updated all compliance forms to capture the new compliance goal.

The Apprenticeship Initiative will conduct the following information webinars related to the legislative changes, updated compliance forms, and the updates to Smartsheet platform, along with offering Technical Assistance sessions to state agency staff, as needed.

• Quarterly information webinars on Legislative Changes/Updates for state agency staff will be delivered on July 10, 2025 (Register).
• Monthly information webinars for contractors, grantees, loan recipients, and consulting engineers will be delivered on July 24, 2025 (Register).
• One-on-one Technical Assistance sessions will be provided to state agency staff at their request.
• For general program questions, please contact the Illinois Works Office at CEO.ApprenticeshipInitiative@Illinois.gov

We encourage you to reach out to Career Services if you are having difficulty locating Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program graduates to comply with the new Apprenticeship Initiative goal.