5 Keys to Finding the Best Talent: A Case Study in How Location Can Meet Critical Workforce Needs
In today's competitive talent market where it takes an average of 11 weeks to fill vacant positions, businesses must recognize that winning the talent war comes down to location strategy. This comprehensive case study examines how Illinois has built a robust talent pipeline through strategic investments in education, university partnerships, and workforce development, resulting in the state ranking #2 nationally for corporate relocations and expansions with 487 companies choosing to grow there last year. The report identifies five critical elements companies should evaluate when selecting locations that enable talent acquisition and business expansion: leveraging university partnerships, investing in workforce development, fostering collaboration between institutions, maintaining industry diversity, and creating appealing environments for employees.
In this guide, you'll explore
- Illinois ranks #2 nationally for corporate relocations and expansions with 487 companies choosing the state last year
- The state graduates over 25,000 engineers annually from the University of Illinois system alone - more than MIT, Stanford, and Caltech combined
- Illinois invests over $17,800 per high school student, more than $3,500 above surrounding states and national competitors
- Chicago hosts approximately 338,000 Big Ten alumni, the largest concentration of any major metropolitan area
- 75% of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates stay in-state for jobs or graduate school, the highest retention rate in the Midwest