Many of metropolitan Chicago’s clusters first emerged based on location advantages unique to the region like its central location in the agricultural and industrial Midwest, strong access to a variety of resources, and dense freight infrastructure.{{Thomas Brenner and André Mühlig. “Factors and Mechanisms Causing the Emergence of Local Industrial Clusters: A Summary of 159 Cases,” Regional Studies 47, no. 4, 2013. 480-507.}} These remain some of the region’s strongest competitive advantages. Today, a skilled and adaptable workforce is increasingly important to sustaining and growing the region’s traded clusters. Their continued competitiveness will require coordinated, demand-driven approaches to education and workforce investments. Partnerships between the private and public sectors can help align training programs and hiring practices to ensure clusters have the talent to meet industry shifts. Human capital is critical to improving the productivity and growth of each cluster, as well as the region as a whole. The value of deep talent pools extend beyond individual firms, as the exchange of ideas within a cluster contributes to higher levels of innovation and productivity. To capitalize fully on the region’s human capital, public and private institutions should continue to foster specialized networks that lead to knowledge spillovers and increase opportunities for innovation. These efforts will require employers to form stronger partnerships with the region’s universities and other institutions of higher education and research.

Action 1

Prioritize strategies that support the accumulation of human capital in the region, such as cooperation among firms and interaction with education and research institutions.

Implementers

Cluster organizations, business associations, chambers of commerce, and other industry groups

Action 2

Work with workforce partners to connect priority populations with supportive services that enable better access to education and employment opportunities.

Implementers

Cluster organizations, business associations, chambers of commerce, and other industry groups

Action 3

Coordinate training programs.

Implementers

Adult education and workforce training providers, with the support of industry

Action 4

Assist in the articulation of career pathways in key traded clusters.

Implementers

CMAP, cluster organizations, and regional economic development organizations

Action 5

Provide data and analysis on job market dynamics in traded clusters.

Implementers

CMAP