Young individuals engaged in hands-on vocational training at the Illinois Youth Center.
Illinois, September 4, 2025
Illinois juvenile facilities are implementing expanded vocational training programs to equip young people with job-ready skills. Through diverse programs including solar installation, personal training, construction, and culinary arts, youth earn vocational certifications and gain hands-on experience. These initiatives not only facilitate immediate job opportunities upon release but also aim to improve overall community reintegration. With a focus on both trade and enrichment classes, these programs are vital in reducing recidivism and providing meaningful employment pathways for the youth.
Youth in Illinois juvenile facilities are earning vocational certificates across a range of careers so they can find steady work after release. Programs now include training in solar installation, personal training, forklift operation, construction, and culinary arts, along with classes that build communication, legal knowledge, and creative skills. The training is classroom and hands-on based, often coupled with industry-recognized credentials and clear paths to employment or apprenticeships.
Two young adults at the Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg finished a new solar installation program created with a local electrical contractor, and they will be eligible for full-time work with that contractor when released. At the PEACE Center in St. Charles, 15 youth have earned personal trainer certifications in the past 18 months through a partnership that links university kinesiology resources and a national sports science association. At the Illinois Youth Center in Chicago, nine youth earned forklift operator certifications that include a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration credential.
The offerings include both trade and service skills. Construction pathways include NCCER core training and OSHA 10 safety credentials, CPR and first aid. Quad County Urban League YouthBuild and the PEACE Center provide these construction-related certificates; 12 youth recently finished the NCCER portion and 13 completed OSHA 10 plus CPR/First Aid at PEACE. Graduates from PEACE can move into Department of Labor certified apprenticeships in building trades.
Culinary and food service training is active at several sites. Lake Land Community College runs culinary certificate programs at the Harrisburg center, and a local café in Evanston provides real restaurant experience for interns from the Illinois Youth Center in Chicago, covering both back-of-house and front-of-house duties. Food safety instruction is being delivered in Chicago, Warrenville, and the PEACE Center through a partnership with a food services training organization; the first two cohorts are expected to complete training this month.
Beyond trade skills, community partners offer classes to strengthen communication, civic understanding, and creative ability. These include public speaking, podcast production, music production and audio engineering, and a non-credit constitutional law course. Programs that focus on arts and violence prevention provide training in music creation and writing, while a humane education partner works with youth to train shelter dogs, improving outcomes for both animals and participants.
Several programs are explicitly tied to jobs. The solar program offers direct hiring opportunities with the contractor partner once participants are released. Personal training classes link to interview preparation and certifications through university collaboration and a national association, helping graduates pursue employment in fitness and wellness fields. Forklift and OSHA training prepare youth for warehousing and construction roles that often have clear entry-level openings.
Vocational certificates and practical experience are central to the agency’s push to give youth skills that support successful community reintegration. The juvenile system population has fallen dramatically since the 1990s and now averages around 170 youth in custody as of 2024, creating a chance to focus more on quality, individualized training rather than large-scale incarceration. Staff and partners emphasize that certificates, hands-on work, and connections to local employers create tangible pathways to steady work after release.
The focus is on expanding partnerships that lead to jobs and apprenticeships, scaling training that produces industry credentials, and linking hands-on experience to real hiring opportunities. Programs will continue to be evaluated for how well they help young people reenter their communities with stable work prospects and reduced likelihood of returning to custody.
Youth can earn certifications in solar installation, personal training, forklift operation, construction (including NCCER and OSHA 10), CPR/First Aid, food safety, and culinary skills, among others.
Yes. Some programs are linked to hiring pipelines. For example, solar program completers may be eligible for full-time work with a contractor partner on release, and apprenticeships in building trades are available through Department of Labor certification pathways.
Training comes from a mix of community organizations, community colleges, university departments, local businesses, and youth-focused nonprofits. These partners provide classroom instruction, industry certifications, and hands-on internships.
Yes. Youth have access to public speaking, podcast production, music production and audio engineering, literary arts programs, and non-credit constitutional law classes to build a wider range of skills.
These educational and vocational opportunities are part of a rehabilitation strategy aimed at giving youth the skills and connections needed for successful reintegration and reduced recidivism.
| Feature | Where | Credential / Outcome | Employment Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar installation | Illinois Youth Center, Harrisburg | Industry training; course completion | Hiring opportunity with contractor partner |
| Personal training | PEACE Center, St. Charles | Fitness certification via national association | Interview prep and field placements |
| Forklift & OSHA | IYC Chicago | Forklift certification; 10-hour OSHA | Warehouse and logistics roles |
| Construction & Apprenticeship | PEACE Center; YouthBuild programs | NCCER core; OSHA 10; CPR/First Aid | Department of Labor apprenticeships |
| Culinary & Food Safety | Harrisburg; Chicago; Warrenville; PEACE Center | Culinary certificates; food safety credentials | Café internships; food service jobs |
| Arts, Law & Communication | Multiple centers | Non-credit classes; creative project work | Soft skills and community engagement |
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