Section 2650.30  Eligible Applicants and Training Activities

a)         An eligible applicant is any business locating, expanding, or having facilities in Illinois and that is undertaking one or more of the following training activities:

1)         Training programs in response to new or changing technologies or processes being introduced in the workplace;

2)         Training necessary to implement total quality management or improvement systems in the workplace;

3)         Job-linked training to upgrade existing employees' skills that leads directly to long-term job security;

4)         Training employees in skills necessary to enable the company to establish or expand into new export markets;

5)         Training in conjunction with new or additional product lines;

6)         Training related to new machinery or equipment;

7)         Training new or existing employees of companies that are locating or expanding in Illinois;

8)         Basic and/or remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for other vocational or technical skills training including English language instruction;

9)         Training related to regulatory compliance issues mandated for the workplace; or

10)       Technical, language, and vocational skills training provided to members of migrant communities who hold Temporary Protected Status.

b)         The Grantor also will accept applications submitted by Illinois-based business and industry associations, institutions of secondary and higher education, strategic business partnerships, large manufacturers for supplier network companies, and labor organizations on behalf of multi-company training projects when those projects address the common employee training needs identified by participating companies or the common training needs identified by the organization's membership. Eligible training activities for multi-company or membership training projects include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

1)         Training programs in response to new or changing technology being introduced in the workplace;

2)         Job-linked training to upgrade existing employees' skills that leads directly to long-term job security;

3)         Training necessary to implement total quality management or improvement systems within the workplace;

4)         Training related to new machinery or equipment;

5)         Training of employees of companies that are expanding into new markets or expanding exports from Illinois;

6)         Basic and/or remedial training of employees as a prerequisite for other vocational or technical skills training, including English language education;

7)         Other training activities and/or projects related to the support, development or evaluation of job training programs, activities and delivery systems, including training needs assessment and design;

8)         Self-employment training of the unemployed and underemployed with comprehensive, competency-based instructional programs and services, entrepreneurial education and training initiatives for youth and/or adult learners in cooperation with the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurial Education, training and education, conferences, workshops and best practice information for local program operators of entrepreneurial and self-employment training programs; or

9)         Technical, language, and vocational skills training provided to members of migrant communities who hold Temporary Protected Status.

c)         Applicants must have an active GATA registration and be qualified on the GATA Grantee Portal prior to the delivery of an award and must be an entity regarded for federal income tax purposes.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 17516, effective November 25, 2024)