Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

By Patrick Andriesen

05/28/2026

Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...

Illinois posted slow job growth last year

By Josh Bandoch

04/16/2026

The state’s unemployment rate is near the top nationwide

Illinois at near record-low union membership in 2025

By Mailee Smith

02/18/2026

Just 13.1% of workers in Illinois were union members in 2025. Thousands of government workers have rejected union membership.

VALLAS: Don’t be fooled by Pritzker’s boasts of population gains

By Paul Vallas

02/17/2026

Roughly half of Illinois residents say they would leave the state if they could. That warning should be a wake-up call to state and local leaders.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Illinois is No. 3 for workforce development

By Josh Bandoch

01/26/2026

Illinois’ strong colleges and workforce training help reduce unemployment and close skill gaps, ranking No. 1 in the Midwest and No. 3 nationally.

How Illinois has changed under Pritzker

By Dylan Sharkey

01/05/2026

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is acting like the 2028 Democratic candidate for president. But what does Pritzker’s Illinois resume say about his leadership?

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Small businesses create virtually all new Illinois jobs

By Bryce Hill

11/26/2025

Small Business Saturday gives Illinoisans another reason to be thankful: these businesses have been the sole job creators since 2020.

Illinois adds 20,300 jobs in a year, but 301,000 seek work in July

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

08/20/2025

Illinois continues to be one of the slowest growing economies in the nation, ranking 46th in post-pandemic job recovery and adding just 20,300 jobs in the past year. Unemployment remained above the national average.

Businesses moving out of Illinois triples since pandemic

By Bryce Hill

08/12/2025

Illinois lost 218 businesses to other states in 2023, part of an acceleration to triple the rate of what losses were before the pandemic. When adjusted for population, Illinois ranked No. 2 for the most business losses.

Illinois’ unemployment rank hits 12th in U.S.: best since pandemic

By Jack Knorr

07/25/2025

Illinois was No. 12 in the U.S. for its June unemployment rate. It’s not been ranked that low since before the pandemic. Still, the state trails the national average thanks to anemic private-sector growth.

TAGS: unemployment

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Illinois posted slow job growth last year

Illinois at near record-low union membership in 2025

VALLAS: Don’t be fooled by Pritzker’s boasts of population gains

Illinois is No. 3 for workforce development

How Illinois has changed under Pritzker

Small businesses create virtually all new Illinois jobs

Illinois adds 20,300 jobs in a year, but 301,000 seek work in July

Businesses moving out of Illinois triples since pandemic

Illinois’ unemployment rank hits 12th in U.S.: best since pandemic

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students