The Central Illinois Workforce Board is pleased to announce the 2007 Workforce Forum, scheduled for Wednesday, October 10, 2007, at the Peoria Civic Center from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The forum features presentations from top speakers and experts on education, emerging technologies and the global economy. The Forum will host four dynamic speakers focusing on information relating to the latest education, economic and workforce ideas, trends and predictions:
Sid Banwart is vice president of the Human Services division at Caterpillar Inc. Mr. Banwart is responsible for activities ranging from Caterpillar University and Corporate Public Affairs to Global Diversity and Corporate Success Management. He has been with Caterpillar since 1968 and holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Iowa State University and an executive MBA from the University of Illinois.
Christopher Swanson, Ph.D., is the director of EPE Research Center, a division of Editorial Projects in Education, the non-profit organization which publishes Education Week. Prior to joining EPE, Swanson was a senior research associate at the Urban Institute. Dr. Swanson has conducted research examining the implementation of accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. In particular, he has extensively investigated the persistent challenges associated with accurately measuring high school graduation rates.
Ralph Martire is the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Mr. Martire is a key member of the research team that produced the groundbreaking State of Working Illinois report detailing industry, employment, wage and benefit trends in Illinois over the last 15 years.
Marc Tucker is the president of the National Center on Education and the Economy, a leader in the movement for standards-based school reform in the United States. He is the vice chairman and staff director of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce that published the report, Tough Choices Tough Times. The Commission’s report joins a chorus of voices warning us of the looming consequences facing our nation due to the poor level of preparation students and members of the workforce are given. Tough Choices Tough Times recommends bold steps of action and offers a radical blueprint for making America’s K-12 educational experience more meaningful and effective.
Join us to understand how workforce and economic trends affect the community and the way we do business—right here in central Illinois. This is an excellent opportunity to learn how to better prepare your business or your career for the workforce of the future. To find out more about the 2007 Workforce Forum, please call Lucinda at (309) 495-8951 or go to WorkforceNetwork.com/2007Forum. IBI