For employers

You are hiring from 43% of the region. We work on the rest.

Most regional employers are hiring from the same 43% of adults who already hold a credential. The Alliance works on the other 57% — building pipelines from local schools, training the workers you already employ, and opening roles to people who can do the job but have never been able to get past the filters.

A trained clinical team at work in the Greater Peoria region

Three ways employers work with the Alliance

  • 01

    Build a pipeline from local schools

    Host an intern, speak in a classroom, or help shape a career pathway so students graduate ready for the roles you are actually hiring for.

    Emerging Workforce Committee

  • 02

    Train the people you already employ

    Short-term credentials and employer-led curriculum let you promote from within instead of competing for the same external candidates.

    Upskilling Committee

  • 03

    Widen who you can hire

    Second-chance hiring, inclusive practices, and support for neurodivergent employees open up candidates who can do the work but never get past the filters.

    Multiple Barriers Committee

Employer resources

Programs and organizations that work directly with employers in Greater Peoria.

  • GPEAK Essential Skills Certification

    Illinois Central College

    Greater Peoria Essential Abilities and Knowledge. Earn a badge for each of Illinois' ten essential employability skills; earn all ten and you are GPEAK certified. Built with input from more than 85 regional employers.

    Visit GPEAK Essential Skills Certification

  • Greater Peoria EDC Programs

    Greater Peoria EDC

    Business support, site selection, and workforce programs for employers growing in Greater Peoria.

    Visit Greater Peoria EDC Programs

  • Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce

    The region's business membership organization and an Executive Co-Chair of the Alliance.

    Visit Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce

What GPEAK tells you about a candidate

GPEAK certifies the ten essential employability skills Illinois employers said matter most, and more than 85 regional employer representatives helped define what counts as mastery. A candidate holding GPEAK certification has demonstrated all ten. Since Fall 2020, 645 people in the region have been credentialed.

How GPEAK works

Nobody reaches 60% alone.

Employers, educators, and community partners are already at the table. Join them.

Get involved