Northern Illinois University

NIU Outreach Regional Development Institute

Economic Development

Community, Economic, and Workforce Development

RDI assists local governments and businesses in working through the complex issues and decisions that face them on a daily basis. RDI offers customized research and strategic planning services that enable organizations and municipalities to plan for change, develop the workforce, and adapt to new business challenges such as:

  • Gathering timely and accurate information on local, regional, state, national, and global economies and trends
  • Improving economic processes and corporate and government infrastructure
  • Planning for and managing change across the board
  • Researching and evaluating workforce issues
    • State of the workforce reports
    • Labor market and occupational trend analysis
    • Occupational supply and demand analysis
    • Employee and client satisfaction
    • Improving the work environment in the private and public sectors
    • Public workforce performance measurement
  • Improving existing information technology infrastructure and connectivity
  • Collecting and evaluating complex demographic and geographic information for data-driven decision making
  • Assessing the economic impact of development
  • Assessing and developing organizational capacity for growth

Our project partners include NIU departments and external groups that are helping to build and sustain a competitive Illinois:

  • Community College Partnerships Office, NIU Outreach
  • Education and Training Department, NIU Outreach
  • Association management groups
  • Municipal, county and state agencies
  • NGO’s – non-governmental organizations and non-profit agencies
  • Corporations

Winnebago County Comprehensive Industry Report, 2006
Winnebago County Comprehensive Industry Analysis of the Aerospace Industry


State of Working Illinois Report
State of Working Illinois


Articles
Rock River Valley is 'A Region Prepared'

Keeping Competitive in the Rock River Valley: 'Manufacturing and What?'


Contact Us

John L. Lewis
Associate Vice-President,
NIU Administration and University Outreach
Director,
Regional Development Institute
Phone:  (815) 753-0936
E-mail:  jlewis@niu.edu

Robert Gleeson
Associate Director,
Regional Development Institute
Director,
Center for Governmental Studies
Phone: (815) 753-1907
E-mail: rgleeson@niu.edu

Diana Robinson
Assistant Director,
Center for Governmental Studies
Phone: (815)753.0955
Fax: (815)753.2305
E-mail: drobinson@niu.edu