Only 5 percent of Illinois construction apprentices are women. Just 7 percent are Black or African American.

These gaps reflect lost opportunity for our communities and skilled workers seeking access to stable, AI-resilient, family-sustaining careers.

The Inclusive Economy Lab and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois co-created the Research Action Plan for Skilled Trades Access — a learning agenda and roadmap for expanding equitable pathways into the construction trades across Illinois.

The plan outlines existing evidence, stakeholder perspectives from across the industry, and a concrete agenda for research and policy action.

Read the full plan here.

Research Action Plan for Skilled Trades Access