Business

collage of student preping food, three people standing next to each other in an industrial environment and a student sitting in a classroom

We value your partnership

Resources for Businesses

We’ve got you covered whether you seek access to the area’s largest labor pool, need a better return on your investment in employee training and retraining, want some pointers on better business, or need a trouble-free place to meet away from work.

Business Partnerships

Hire Spartans

Recruit employees on campus—Call us for policies and scheduling details.
Promote your career events to students, alumni, and community members. Hire your current workforce while building your pipeline at industry-targeted Employment Exploration Expos (E3) and job fairs at ECC. Visit HireSpartans for details and to register. Please call 847-214-7454 if you would like to add your company to the invite list.
Recruit interns and apprentices from Elgin Community College.

Advisory Committee

Give back to the community as a program advisory committee member. This committee gives us the inside scoop on which skills they look for when hiring, helping us tailor programs to meet industry needs. Contribute your knowledge and experience and help the students at ECC.

Hire, Train and Retain your Workforce

Internship and Apprenticeship Programs

Our program Strategic Partnerships & Experiential Learning group offers a turn-key solution. ECC staff does the paperwork required by the US Department of Labor. Apprentices attend classes part-time or full-time. Learn how internships and apprenticeships can help your business thrive.

Let us know who you want to enroll, and we'll do the rest!

Consider this:

Why should you hire an apprentice? Help you grow your skilled/trained workforce by promoting existing workers or new hires resulting in well-trained employees who thrive in your environment, culture, and job.
How do I find an apprentice to hire? ECC will help through various career fairs and community expos throughout the year. Plus, we offer an online tool, HireSpartans, to post positions. We also partner with the Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT) to promote your apprenticeship(s).
What are the benefits of having an apprentice? Increase employee morale and loyalty. The National Apprenticeship Service states that 92 percent of companies with apprenticeship programs believe it leads to higher motivation. Eighty percent report increases in employee retention.
Why do companies offer apprenticeships? Organizations, large and small, use apprenticeships to promote diversity in the workplace. It also helps cut recruiting costs by reaching out to area students taking ECC classes to gain skills and certification.
Why are apprenticeships good for business? Apprenticeships create additional opportunities for brand and company name recognition. Plus, you'll retain employees by cutting recruiting costs and increasing loyalty.
How will apprenticeships help my business? Train for your needs, at your location, with your processes. Development - Hire recruits or invest in your employees while offering them nationally-recognized credentials. Recruitment - Gain access to a diverse applicant pool and upskill current employees. Tax Credits - Participation in ECC's program qualifies you for the Illinois Apprenticeship Tax Credit ($3,500 to $5,000 per apprentice annually).

Apprenticeship Form

Get the "wow" factor for your next event!

Elgin Community College's facilities can accommodate any event, plus our food and customer service are outstanding. Our buildings feature comfortable, ultra-modern, professional training facilities. We provide audio-visual equipment, event planners, formal dining and buffet catering services, skilled operations technicians, and public safety. Facility discounts are given to not-for-profit organizations and for scheduling multiple events.

Conference and Event Rentals

Meetings, conferences, employee receptions
Exhibitions, trade shows, convocations
Award ceremonies, fundraisers
Performing arts productions
Sporting events, catered events

Proposal Request

Performing Arts Center Rentals

Our state-of-the-art building features a range of spaces for rent—from a 670-seat proscenium theatre to a 168-seat black box theatre and numerous classrooms. Our professional event staff and convenient accommodations will ensure your next event is successful.

Contact the Performing Arts Manager by calling 847-214-7140 or emailing artsoperations@elgin.edu for pricing.

Arts Center Rental Rates

Due to the extremely high volume, we recommend that you register as a client for the quickest response using the Register for Advising button. We look forward to assisting you.

Advising and support for small business owners

Start-up Services
Financing
Business Planning
Low-Cost Workshops

Overview

The Illinois Small Business Development Center (Illinois SBDC) at Elgin Community College offers counseling services at no cost to help small businesses succeed. Entrepreneurs and small business owners can obtain management, marketing, finance, and operations advice. We offer tailored, one-on-one advising and workshops to assist with business development.

Our training and advice are available for new and existing businesses. Our grant funding requires that you register your business with us. We'll help you build a comprehensive business assessment to identify critical areas needing attention and provide a follow-up action plan to address them.

If you own a small business or are considering starting one, the Illinois SBDC can help with:

One-on-one business counseling for businesses from pre-venture through maturity;
Access to capital and identifying funding options;
In-depth financial analyses and budgeting;
Developing sales and marketing strategies;
Business plan review;
Low-cost training workshops, seminars, and courses; and
Referrals to other sources of information and industry professionals.

About Us

The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Elgin Community College has helped businesses grow for over 30 years. Back by popular demand in 2020, our business success team has provided over 5,000 client consultations, 1,500 new jobs, more than 2,000 retained jobs, incubated 300 start-ups, and 100 expansions for companies located in District 509.

"The free Comprehensive Business Assessment gave me an incredible opportunity, allowing me to work on pieces of my business with someone who understands the multiple perspectives you need as a business owner, from very detailed to the big vision." - Kimberly Elam, Owner, Kimmer's Ice Cream, St. Charles, Illinois

Contact Us

The Illinois SBDC is located on ECC's campus in Building E, University & Business Center. The campus is located at McLean Boulevard and Spartan Drive, one quarter-mile south of U.S. 20 and one half-mile east of Randall Road in southwest Elgin.

Learn more about our partners

Illinois SBDC

Elgin Community College
1700 Spartan Drive, Building E, Room E105
Elgin, IL 60123-7193
Phone: 847-214-7488
Fax: 847-931-3911
Email: sbdc@elgin.edu

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, and Elgin Community College and the support of legislators, chambers of commerce, and the business community. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its contents, and it in no way constitutes a contract with the college.