State Senator Dave Syverson is co-sponsoring a bill that aims to support engineering students in Illinois and connect them with job opportunities after graduation. The proposed Senate Bill 3855, called the Engineering Students of Illinois Scholarship Act, would provide scholarships to students attending public universities in the state. In exchange, recipients would commit to working for the Illinois Department of Transportation for at least three years after they finish their studies.
Supporters of the bill say it is intended to address a shortage of engineers in Illinois and ensure that the state has enough skilled workers for important infrastructure projects. According to recent figures, the engineering industry adds $20.7 billion each year to Illinois’ gross domestic product and supports over 182,000 jobs statewide.
Lawmakers point out that both Illinois and other states are experiencing a gap in the engineering workforce. As experienced engineers retire, fewer new graduates are entering the field. National data indicates that around 184,000 engineers have left or retired recently, while only 166,000 new graduates have joined the workforce annually, leading to an estimated shortfall of about 18,000 engineers each year.
Senate Bill 3855 has been introduced in the Illinois Senate and is awaiting committee assignment. If passed into law, the scholarship program would be managed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission from July 1, 2027 through July 1, 2031.
Syverson was elected as a Republican to represent Illinois’ 35th Senate District in 1993.
