West Chicago works collaboratively with area educational institutions, government agencies, economic development organizations, and private staffing agencies to meet the labor needs of the West Chicago business community. Most recently, the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce—located in Downtown West Chicago, was selected through a competitive process by the DuPage County Local Workforce Innovation Board (LWIB) to serve as the One-Stop-Operator (OSO) for WorkNet DuPage. WorkNet DuPage houses nine partner agencies that serve to meet the workforce needs of DuPage County and region. WorkNet DuPage operates under federal and state guidelines from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA.)

In DuPage County, these partner agencies work together to offer information and assistance to all residents of the county as well as businesses.

Employment Data – DuPage County 2016

Number of Jobs	741,609
Number of Employees	645,661
Unemployment Rate	5.5%
Median Household Income	$79,658
Number of Businesses	39,502
Source: EMSI, March 2016 & 2016 Choose DuPage Annual Report

Top Three Largest Employers in West Chicago

The Jel Sert Company - 1,000 Employees
Aspen Marketing Services LLC - 425 Employees
Ball Horticultural Company - 425 Employees

Higher Education

Within a 10-mile radius of West Chicago there are a number of colleges and universities for prospective students and professionals to choose from. These include the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn or Elgin Community College in Elgin. Additional choices nearby include Aurora University, Benedictine University, DeVry University campuses in Addison and Naperville, North Central College, and Wheaton College. West Chicago’s proximity to Chicago also affords students with a wealth of additional post-secondary educational choices. Programs at these institutions vary widely; select area employee training programs are described as follows:

The College of DuPage (COD) offers a number of programs to help employees advance in the workforce. In addition to traditional degree programs and certificates, COD also offers Business Training & Resources and Continuing Education and Professional Development coursework in the areas of business, computer skills, project management, safety training, social media, among numerous other programs.

Benedictine University’s School of Graduate, Adult and Professional Education provides students with the knowledge, skills and creative problem-solving ability demanded by today’s workplace. Their program offers blended delivery formats that promotes communication and teamwork, and faculty, experts in their fields, are focused on helping students achieve their career goals. Employer partnerships offer on-site delivery of adult undergraduate and graduate programs at an organization or workplace.

Benedictine offers professional development and certificates in business communication, financial planning certificates, and Sigma Six; Adult Accelerated Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates in a variety of areas; and graduate degrees and certificates in a variety of areas.

Educational Attainment Figures – DuPage County

Population 25+ Years
H.S. Graduate or Higher	91%
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher	47.2%
Source: 2016 Choose DuPage Annual Report