News

The Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy (BIB) Consortium, a Department of Labor-funded workforce training and education grant led by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been awarded Focus St. Louis’ 20^th annual What’s Right with the Region! Award for emerging initiatives.

The award annually honors 20 individuals, organizations or initiatives that promote improvements within the St. Louis community. BIB’s Grow Your Future initiative, aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty through career training programs, addresses community needs and serves as an advocate for change.

Grow Your Future focuses on connecting disadvantaged students with career opportunities in the bio-based and manufacturing fields across the St. Louis metropolitan area. It spurs economic growth and development by creating a robust workforce, and diversifies the talent pool for employers.

“Grow Your Future and the Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy Consortium are shining examples of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s commitment to community engagement and enhancement,” said SIUE Chancellor Dr. Randy Pembrook. “Creating flexible pathways into advanced degrees and career training programs is at the heart of our mission.”

 “This is an external campaign to promote opportunity in biofuels,” said Courtney Breckenridge, project manager at the BIB Consortium. “Grow Your Future is a collaboration with the SIUE East St. Louis Center that strengthens and expands the consortium’s mission of connecting residents with the necessary training to fill currently open bioeconomy jobs in the region.”

“We work with parents in our Head Start program every day who are fighting for a better life for their families,” said Jesse Dixon, director of the SIUE East St. Louis Center. “The jobs at the end of these training programs aren’t just a job, they’re promising careers that have the potential to positively impact the lives of people throughout this community.”

The BIB Consortium offers flexible programming at SIUE and partner colleges throughout the state, including Carl Sandburg College, Lewis & Clark Community College, Lincoln Land Community College and Southeastern Illinois College. Its courses provide professional certifications and on-the-job training, and are designed to meet the needs of both non-traditional and traditional learners.

To learn more about Grow Your Future or the Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy Consortium, visit buildingillinoisbio.com.