IMEC describes ARPA-funded 'Lighthouse' program and apprenticeship services to Kane County jobs committee

Doug Pennington, regional manager for the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), told the Kane County Jobs Committee that IMEC is the state’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliate and “an extension of the U.S. Department of Commerce.” He described services for small and mid-sized manufacturers, county-level results from client surveys and two IMEC initiatives that county leaders are using or considering: an ARPA-funded “Lighthouse” grant program and Department of Labor–approved apprenticeship programs.

The Lighthouse program uses American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant dollars to underwrite multi-part improvement plans for manufacturers. Pennington said the typical Lighthouse grant covers about $30,000 in year-one services, during which IMEC leads a half-day visioning session and assembles a team to develop a one- to three-year improvement plan. “The Lighthouse program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act,” Pennington said, and the IMEC model is to “go in and…do a deep dive” to prioritize what will produce the biggest near-term impact.

IMEC provided county-level results drawn from company self-reports to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Pennington told the committee that IMEC’s clients in Kane County reported 537 new jobs last year, average retained-sales figures of about $2.8 million, work with 130 companies and an average cost savings of roughly $153,000; he summarized the aggregate, client-reported economic impact as about $58,000,019.

Why it matters: committee members and staff framed the Lighthouse approach as an alternative to one-off grants or single-service vouchers. Pennington told the committee that a bundled, team-driven approach that produces a sequenced multi-year plan is intended to yield larger returns than single, small projects because it addresses multiple interlocking operational challenges (operations, safety, quick-changeover, HR and marketing) in a coordinated way.

Program details and funding questions

Pennington said the Lighthouse model usually begins with an on-site assessment and value-stream mapping, followed by prioritized work in year one (value-stream mapping, safety assessments and quick-changeover training were given as examples) and suggested year-two and year-three actions to be funded later by either the company or other sources such as incumbent-worker training grants. He said the Lighthouse grants were intended to be meaningful enough to produce change rather than pay for isolated, small projects.

Committee members asked how IMEC selected participants. Pennington said the program was marketed to the county’s manufacturers and that the firms that applied made the list; he reported that one formal applicant-size cap was discussed and variously referenced during the meeting (one speaker said the program limited applicants to firms under 500 employees; another county staff reference later said the program concentrated on companies under 200 employees). Pennington described the program’s practical focus on smaller manufacturers and said IMEC’s “sweet spot” is firms of about 200 employees or fewer.

Deadline and invoicing cadence

Committee members asked about timing and whether ARPA funds would still be available. Pennington and county staff discussed ARPA deadlines: Pennington said IMEC had been told some county funding obligations were expected to be allocated and committed earlier, but county staff clarified that ARPA spending for these programs must be completed by December 2026. Pennington said most Lighthouse invoicing occurs after projects are completed; he told the committee he would report back on the cadence for companies that have been slower to start.

Apprenticeship program

Pennington also described IMEC’s Department of Labor–approved apprenticeship programs, which IMEC has drafted with full training plans and administrative support. He said IMEC will manage the administrative requirements that many small firms find burdensome — monthly check-ins, DOL reporting, compliance reviews and mentorship — and estimated that IMEC’s management fee for administering an apprenticeship (not including the classroom or hands-on training hours required by the DOL) is generally “less than $10,000.” He explained that classroom or skills training hours remain a separate cost often funded by incumbent-worker grants through local workforce boards.

Pennington said IMEC can deliver training itself, coordinate with community colleges (for example, Elgin Community College was mentioned) or arrange a mixed delivery model depending on employer preference. Committee members asked IMEC to return for a follow-up session focused specifically on apprenticeships; Pennington agreed to bring the IMEC staff member who manages apprenticeships to answer technical questions.

County coordination and next steps

County staff and committee members discussed the Kane County Economic Development Corporation and use of ARPA funds to support programs such as Lighthouse. One county staffer said the newly formed county economic development corporation was intended to help secure non-ARPA private funding over time and to channel support for programs that have shown promise. Pennington said IMEC had identified other potential federal and state funding sources (including defense-related onshoring funds and workforce grants) but noted that, at the time of the meeting, only some of those were confirmed.

Committee actions and administrative items

The committee approved the February 21 meeting minutes by unanimous consent. Later in the meeting the committee asked for unanimous consent to place several staff reports on file; that request was granted. The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn that was seconded and approved.

What’s next: Pennington said he would distribute the IMEC presentation to committee staff and return to the committee for a deeper discussion on apprenticeships; county leaders said staff would review ARPA spending timelines and provide follow-up information about project cadence and the county’s upcoming budget decisions.

(Quotes in this article come from the meeting transcript and are attributed to speakers who appeared during the IMEC presentation: Doug Pennington, regional manager, IMEC; Chris Toth, meeting host/staff member; and committee members identified in the transcript by surname.)