Our mission

Supporting the development of workers with essential skills to obtain, retain, and advance their employment.

About GPEAK

The Greater Peoria Essential Abilities and Knowledge (GPEAK) system was developed by Illinois Central College, in partnership with Peoria’s CEO Council and Regional Workforce Development Alliance, the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and the Illinois Community College Board. Over 85 community members collaborated on this project to develop a regional approach for assessing and validating essential skills needed in the workplace.

Employers, community-based organizations, and regional educational partners can become a GPEAK site and host the certification system. 

  • GPEAK MEASURES an individual’s demonstration of essential skills needed for meaningful employment while encouraging learners to reflect on their growth and development. 
  • GPEAK VALIDATES and communicates this information in a manner recognized by employers and education and training institutions. 
  • GPEAK SERVES learners, education systems, community-based organizations, and employers.

Core Components

The GPEAK certification system includes three main components:

  1. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS – GPEAK participants will be assigned a mentor and will review the Essential Employability Competencies and the Performance Indicators developed by our regional employers.
  2. CURRICULAR RESOURCES – GPEAK participants receive access to case studies, journal activities, reflection prompts, workshop ideas and mentor moments to help individuals reflect on and develop their employability skills.
  3. CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – GPEAK participants submit pre- and post-assessments and upload evidence to support the attainment of the GPEAK competencies. Validators review the information and award competency badges. Once an individual earns all ten badges, they will be GPEAK certified.

Our vision is to develop Illinois’ workforce with the essential skills needed for meaningful employment.

History

In 2019-2020, the Regional Workforce Alliance and Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois set out to establish training tools to develop essential employability skills. Over 85 community members representing business and non-profit organizations created the GPEAK system. 

  • American Red Cross
  • Anderson Windows
  • Associated Bank
  • Bradley University
  • Brio Employee Development
  • Career Link
  • CASA of the Tenth Judicial Circuit
  • Caterpillar
  • CEFCU
  • Chase Bank
  • CityLink
  • CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
  • Community Workshop and Training Center
  • Dunlap High School
  • East Peoria High Schools
  • Elmwood High School
  • EP!C
  • Eureka College
  • Excalibur Seasoning Company
  • Express Employment Professionals
  • Farnsworth Group
  • Goodwill Industries
  • Greater Peoria Economic Development Council
  • Greater Peoria Family YMCA
  • Heart Technologies
  • Illini Bluffs High Schools
  • Illinois Central College
  • Illinois Student Assistance Commission
  • Jim Maloof/REALTOR
  • Junior Achievement of Central Illinois
  • Komatsu America
  • Lincoln College
  • Manpower
  • Metamora Township High School/Woodford EFE
  • METEC
  • Methodist College of Nursing
  • Morton Economic Development Council
  • Morton Industries
  • Neighborhood House
  • OSF Healthcare
  • Pekin Community High School
  • Peoria Chamber of Commerce
  • Peoria County/Engineering
  • Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity
  • Peoria Friendship House
  • Peoria Public Schools
  • Peoria Regional Office of Education
  • PeoriaCorps
  • Phoenix Community Development Services
  • PNC Bank
  • Prairie State Legal Services
  • RSM US LLP
  • Southside Mission
  • Special Education Association of Peoria County
  • Tazewell County Regional Office of Education #53
  • Tazewell County Resource Center (TCRC)
  • The Kim Group
  • Tri County Urban League
  • Unity Point Health
  • Washington Community High School
  • Wells Fargo
  • West Central Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council

Subscribe To Our Mailing List

Supporting the development of workers with essential skills to obtain, retain, and advance their employment

Developed in partnership with: