The October edition of The Momentum Newsletter highlights how the Quad Cities community is responding to the Tyson layoffs, including the recent Vibrant Arena job fair that connected more than 1,000 attendees with over 100 businesses and training resources. The newsletter also features the American Job Center’s expanded weekly job list, upcoming Business Lunch & […]
Tag: workforce development
Your AJC Workforce Playbook
Running a small business in the tri county area is not simple. You are watching costs, trying to keep good people, and still finding time to grow. Some days it can feel like you are doing three jobs at once. Hiring, training, and keeping staff can take as much energy as serving your customers. All […]
Looking for What Comes Next? Start at the Quad Cities Fall Success Fair!
You know that moment when you think, “Okay… I need to figure out what I’m doing with my life”? Maybe you’re looking for a job. Maybe you’re thinking about going back to school. Maybe you’ve been trying to find out what programs or services are available in the Quad Cities, and after opening approximately 47 […]
WORKFORCE WIRE – Skilling Up: How to Build the Workforce You Wish You Had
Skilling Up: How to Build the Workforce You Wish You Had If you have ever stared at a key role and thought, “I wish I could clone my best person,” upskilling is the closest legal method. Building the team you want from the team you have is faster than hiring strangers into your workflow, and […]
WORKFORCE WIRE – Rebuild Stronger: Help for Businesses Affected by Layoffs
When a layoff hits, it feels like trying to steer during a tire blowout. You are balancing customers, cash flow, and a rattled team, while worrying about compliance and community impact. The good news is that you are not alone. Illinois has practical programs to stabilize operations, protect remaining jobs, and help you rebuild with […]
Your Quad Cities Workforce Office
Your Local Workforce Office Many business owners hear terms like “workforce development” and “American Job Center” and assume they are broad public programs that matter more to job seekers than to businesses. In reality, they matter a great deal to businesses. A local workforce office can be a practical partner for hiring, training, and workforce […]
Workforce Development Explained
Learn what workforce development is, why it matters to the economy.
WORKFORCE WIRE – Don’t Let Paperwork Stop You: AJC Simplifies the Process
Paperwork should not keep a good business from growing. If you have paused a hire, delayed training, or skipped a funding opportunity because the forms felt confusing, you are not alone. The American Job Center in Rock Island exists to take that weight off your plate so you can do what you do best, which […]
WORKFORCE WIRE – The Cost of a Bad Hire – and How We Help You Avoid It
A bad hire rarely shows up as a single line on a profit and loss statement. It appears as missed deadlines, rework, customer complaints, and a team that spends more time fixing problems than creating value. In a labor market where Illinois posted a 4.8 percent unemployment rate in May 2025, every seat on your […]
WORKFORCE WIRE – Get Paid to Train Your Employees? Yes, Really.
For many small and mid-sized businesses across Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer counties, training new hires can feel like an expensive leap of faith. You invest time and resources in someone who might not stay long enough to make that investment worthwhile. But what if you could offset those costs? Through the On-the-Job Training (OJT) […]