SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, July 9, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) will host her third Workforce Development Summit at Richland Community College, bringing together educators, employers, and community leaders to discuss how career and technical education (CTE) can strengthen the agricultural workforce. The summit builds on Budzinski's previous workforce development events, which focused on strengthening partnerships with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) organizations across the district and expanding access to career and CTE opportunities.
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The summit will feature four panel discussions highlighting career pathways in agriculture for students after high school, with conversations focused on TechHub initiatives, CTE and workforce training centers, agribusiness opportunities, and firsthand perspectives from young farmers across the agricultural workforce.
Congresswoman Budzinski has been a strong advocate for helping get job seekers ready for careers in growing industries. One of the first bills she introduced was the Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs (LEAP) Act, designed to expand workforce development opportunities by providing federal tax incentives to businesses that hire apprentices.
WHO: Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski
WHAT: Agriculture Workforce Summit
WHEN: Thursday July 9, 2026, 11 a.m. CT - 2 p.m. CT
WHERE: National Sequestration Education Center, Richland Community College, 3357 N President Howard Brown Blvd, Decatur, IL
