PEORIA, Ill. – Over 260,000 jobs and $17 billion in personal income were tied to Illinois rivers in 2021, according to the National Waterways Foundation. In April, the Corn Belt Ports Rural Logistics and Maritime Training and Education Consortium was formed to assist regional workforce development professionals serving river-dependent businesses and industries. According to Robert Sinkler, executive director and founder of Corn Belt Ports, workforce training and development is important to ensure the U.S.’ multimodal transportation system and supply chain can function at full capacity in order for the Corn Belt to maintain its global competitiveness.

“The Corn Belt Ports Rural Logistics and Maritime Training and Education Consortium is…an essential part of our ground game to attract more badly needed infrastructure investment into our region,” Sinkler said. “Maritime workforce security is national security.”

The first annual meeting of the Illinois River Cities and Towns Initiative (IRCTI) in Peoria last November brought together the mayors of 11 Illinois river communities for the first time. During the meeting, the consortium was established. In partnership with We Work the Waterways and Western Illinois University (WIU), the consortium brought together a broad network of higher education institutions and industry from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin in cities located along the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

The consortium’s goal is to expand workforce training, develop clear career pathways and better align educational programs with employer needs across inland waterways, ports, logistics and maritime-related industries. Its launch comes at a pivotal moment, as federal efforts intensify to strengthen the nation’s maritime industry and workforce infrastructure. This will produce more opportunities for rural workers to secure good-paying, reliable jobs in the maritime industry, according to Pam Maxwell, director of programs and operations for We Work the Waterways.

“This partnership represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening the maritime workforce by expanding awareness and opportunity into rural communities that have long been connected to our inland waterways. By collaborating with universities across multiple states, we’re building a broader, more inclusive pipeline of talent for the industry,” Maxwell said.

J.F. Brennan Inc., Lawson Marine and Rigging, Riverview Tug Service, Inc. and Alter Logistics are among the river-related companies that have signed letters of support for the consortium, which will seek to leverage regional partnerships and educational expertise to position the Midwest as a leader in developing a skilled maritime industry workforce, according to Dr. Honey Zimmerman, assistant professor of supply chain management, WIU School of Accounting and Business Administration.

“At its core, this initiative is about people – creating accessible pathways into maritime and logistics careers. At WIU, we are focused on aligning education with real workforce needs and building clear, stackable pathways into high-demand careers that support the nation’s inland waterway system and broader supply chains,” she said.

In addition to WIU, higher education institutions aligned with the consortium are Black Hawk College, Carl Sandburg College, CulverStockton College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Illinois Central College, John Wood Community College, Northeast Iowa Community College, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Western Technical College.

“Corn Belt Ports is proud to partner with WIU to strengthen maritime workforce pathways across the region. This consortium builds durable regional partnerships, enhances riverbased sector collaboration, expands training and education, supports rural economic development, and connects more people to afloat and ashore careers – further strengthened through our collaboration with We Work the Waterways,” said Chris Smith, director of pperations for the Corn Belt Ports and executive director of the consortium.

Look for more information on the consortium’s activities as they develop the program on the website www.cornbeltports.com.