Labor Market
The availability of qualified labor is important for the successful operation of any facility. The Midwest Inland Port area provides access to a labor force of over 563,000 within a one-hour drive of Decatur.
Education and Training
You can find a range of specialized training programs designed to develop and improve the workforce in our region, particularly those essential for the manufacturing sector. Many of these programs can be tailored to address the unique requirements of businesses establishing or growing in our community.
- Essential skills training
- On-the-job training reimbursement
- Incumbent worker training reimbursement
- Adult education
Specialized programs to fit needs of employers include EnRich, iFAB Tech Hub, Prairie Land Fame, and Stem Workforce Academy.
Specialized Labor
The Midwest Inland Port area has comparatively strong availability of employment specialization in manufacturing and other targeted industries than competitive markets. Please see charts below.
Source: Location Quotient of Warehousing and Storage Labor (NAICS 48-49), Manufacturing Labor (NAICS 31-33), and Food Manufacturing Labor (NAICS 311) within the MSA for (MIP) C1950 Decatur, IL MSA; (CHI) C1698 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI MSA; (IND) C2690 Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN MSA; (KC) C2814 Kansas City, MO-KS MSA; (STL) C4118 St. Louis, MO-IL MSA; Quotients above 1.00 indicate a greater degree of industry specialization than the comparable region (USA); “Chicago Food Manufacturing Labor Reported by County; Data Source: 1St QTR QCEW Bureau of Labor Statistics (Year 2024 Data)