Deputy Republican Leader Norrine Hammond and Rep. Dan Swanson announced a new state program that will help Illinois college students prepare for graduate school and in-demand careers.
The Prepare for Illinois’ Future Program is the result of a commitment by the State of Illinois, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and leading global education company Kaplan to provide free test preparation courses to students enrolled in Illinois’ public universities as well as five community colleges. Western Illinois University was the first in the state to roll out the program, with Carl Sandburg College to follow this month.
This historic workforce initiative enables students access to Kaplan’s best-in-class preparation for professional licensing exams, graduate-level admissions exams, and credential exams at no cost to them. Available courses include exam prep for the GRE®, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, NCLEX-RN, Illinois State bar exam, real estate and securities exams, and more. Students will also have access to a suite of certificate courses, including project management and cybersecurity, as well as professional and academic skills development courses from Kaplan.
The Illinois state budget for this fiscal year includes $10 million to make sure the program is free and universal.
“This free test and licensure preparation program is great news for Western Illinois University, and it will help all public university students prepare for the jobs of the future and save thousands of dollars,” said Rep. Hammon, R-Macomb.
Swanson, R-Alpha, a former substitute teacher, said: “Illinois has massive shortages of people in skilled professions – such as nursing and other medical professions. This new program is a game-changer for our students and makes WIU and Carl Sandburg more competitive with schools across the border.”
The program aims to boost in-state enrollment at public universities, create career pathways for students from underserved urban and rural communities, and address the state’s critical shortages for essential professions—ultimately helping to reduce shortages in the Illinois workforce, including projected deficits of more than 14,000 nurses and more than 6,000 doctors by 2030.
In addition to offering the program to students at all 12 Illinois public four-year universities, the program is being piloted at five community colleges chosen to reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state, including Joliet Junior College, Carl Sandburg College, Southwestern Illinois College, Malcolm X College, and Morton College. Kaplan has already begun working with these community colleges and the state’s public universities to launch the program so students can access these courses.
***Courtesy of Nick Bellini, Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs; Office of the House Republican Leader***
