SJ0016 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0016 LRB104 07495 MST 17539 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Small and Midsize Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs/MSMEs) play an important role in the job creation process since they account for between 40 and 80 percent of total manufacturing employment worldwide; and

WHEREAS, SMEs/MSMEs typically have a much simpler structure than larger businesses or manufacturers; there is much less red tape, and decisions that can take weeks or months for other companies can sometimes be made in minutes; often, customer service is personalized, and industry partners are considered friends more than clients; and

WHEREAS, The management of SMEs/MSMEs is usually better connected to, and more in touch with, their staff than at companies with thousands of employees; since everyone is working toward the same goal, there is a greater feeling of camaraderie; this often shows itself in community initiatives generated inside an SME, such as fundraisers suggested by employees to benefit favored causes; while large corporations have research and development departments, SMEs often encourage all staff members to contribute ideas for new products to manufacture or ways to improve existing ones; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to an unmatched manufacturing workforce and renowned universities and community colleges that train a talent pipeline for the advanced manufacturing jobs; 23,000 students graduate with manufacturing or manufacturing-related degrees each year, and Illinois' community colleges yield over 3,531 students from 371 programs with manufacturing degrees and certificates; many Illinois institutions partner with businesses and incubators to create custom training programs; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, the average U.S. manufacturing worker received $77,186 annually, including pay and benefits; in 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the annual mean wage of production workers in Illinois to be from $45,460 to $73,820; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we encourage young people to consider a career in small to mid-sized manufacturing, which can lead to stable jobs that range from $50k-$70k a year.