Build Your Career in Jacksonville, Illinois! (In-Person Jobs)
Total Incentive
$9,000
Description
We’re welcoming job-seekers to build their careers and lives in the Jacksonville Region!
This program is designed to connect you with local job opportunities and support you as you settle into the community. Along with access to the region’s centralized job board, participants will receive personalized assistance throughout their employment search. We’re excited to help you get started!
Jacksonville, Illinois, is where career growth and small-town charm meet big-city convenience. With beautiful landscapes, vibrant communities, and a rich cultural scene, it’s the perfect place to build your career while enjoying life.
Kristin is the President of the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation and a resident of the area for most of her life. Kristin will be your personal guide - answering your questions, connecting you with resources, and ensuring your smooth transition. With Kristin's support, you'll quickly feel like a local.
Why Work in the Jacksonville Region?
The Jacksonville Region combines strong career opportunities with small-town warmth and modern convenience. Here’s what you’ll find:
💼 Diverse Career Paths — Opportunities across education, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and local business, with employers who value growth and community.
🏠 Affordable Living — Comfortable housing options near great schools, parks, and shopping—everything you need within easy reach.
🌳 Outdoor Escapes — Enjoy nearby Lake Jacksonville for fishing, boating, and camping, or unwind on local trails and green spaces perfect for family adventures.
🎭 Vibrant Culture & Community — Experience a lively arts scene, community festivals, and historic downtown Jacksonville with its unique shops, local restaurants, and welcoming charm.
“I was awarded the incentive as a remote worker at first. Then Kristin [President of JREDC], who runs the program, asked if she could share my résumé with local employers. That’s how I found CCK Automations,” James Gaudio
Your Welcome Package
When you relocate to The Jacksonville Region through MakeMyMove, you’ll receive a generous welcome package designed to help you settle in, explore, and feel right at home. Each item is meant to connect you with the community, add a little fun, and make your move smoother and more exciting! See above for a list of incentives 🌟
Opportunity Across Industries
- Education & Human Services: With major employers like Illinois School for the Deaf, Illinois College, and Jacksonville School District 117, newcomers can find roles in teaching, student services, interpretation, campus operations, and K–12 support roles. These institutions provide consistent staffing needs and mission-driven work environments.
- Healthcare & Social Services: Jacksonville Memorial Hospital (Memorial Health), local clinics, therapy providers, and senior-care facilities offer steady demand for nurses, technicians, administrative support, allied health professionals, and caregivers. Healthcare is one of the region’s largest and most reliable hiring sectors.
- Manufacturing & Skilled Trades: Regional manufacturers offer roles in welding, machining, quality control, maintenance tech, and logistics. Skilled trades such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and construction also provide hands-on career paths with strong earning potential.
- Government, Public Safety & Logistics: State of Illinois agencies employ workers across administration, public safety, social services, corrections, and transportation. Local distribution and logistics centers support supply chain operations, dispatch, warehousing, and inventory roles.
- Agriculture, Agribusiness & Food Processing: As part of Illinois’ agricultural core, the region includes farms, grain cooperatives, and food-processing facilities offering roles in agronomy, equipment operation, packaging, sanitation, and plant operations.
Whether you're starting fresh, building new skills, or looking to level up your career — Jacksonville provides steady opportunities across key industries and a community invested in your success.
Dive into opportunities in Jacksonville, Illinois
We know searching for a job can be intimidating and overwhelming. We've created an Employment Guide to help. Explore our recommended job board, industries, employers, and training opportunities in the area.
The Jacksonville Region: Where Careers and Community Meet
This is more than just a new job—it’s an opportunity to build a meaningful life in a region that values connection, creativity, and a genuine sense of belonging. In the Jacksonville Region, professional growth goes hand in hand with personal fulfillment. Here, local employers are invested in your success, neighbors become friends, and community pride runs deep.
Whether you’re advancing your career or planting new roots, you’ll find a place that supports your ambitions while offering the comfort of small-town charm and the energy of a region on the rise. The Jacksonville Region is where your work has purpose, your connections have meaning, and your future feels right at home.
You’re Not on Your Own
Relocating is a major step — but you won’t do it alone. Jacksonville offers relocation support, access to employers, and introductions to local networks and community leaders who want you to succeed. Start the process today and make the move with confidence.
This program is sponsored by The Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation
The Jacksonville Region is currently recruiting people who:
Earn at least $70,000 annually
Are 18 years or older
Live at least 70 miles outside of the Jacksonville Region at the time of application for the program
Must relocate primary residence to the Jacksonville Region (Scott County or Morgan County) within 6 months
Will provide employment and residency documentation to determine eligibility
Must be a Jacksonville Region resident for 1 year before receiving the $5,000 cash
Wait just a second while we retrieve your eligibility status for this program.
FAQ
What is MakeMyMove?
MakeMyMove is the first-ever marketplace connecting movers with relocation programs, provided by communities across the country actively recruiting new residents. We help you find the right place and get there, and we help communities grow through talent attraction.
How much does it cost?
We’re 100% supported by communities. Thanks to their investments, our service is free to folks like you who are thinking about making a move.
Why are communities offering relocation programs?
New residents bring growth, both economically and culturally. Local leaders around the country are recognizing this opportunity and assembling relocation programs that make moves easier and help new residents settle into the community.
Other Details
Program Categories
How It Works
This community is participating in the MakeMyMove on-platform application process. Apply in a few minutes. You’ll receive a response to your application, and will have access to a team to help along the way.
1. Apply
Fill out our fast application form to share your information and why you’re interested in making a move.
2. Get Pre-Approved
Qualifying applicants will receive an introduction to the local sponsors of the program who will answer your questions, and help you decide if the community is the right fit.
3. Confirm Eligibility
Once you’ve been selected, we’ll confirm your eligibility for the program and facilitate a formal offer from the community.
4. Accept and Make Your Move
Accept your offer to reserve your spot in the program, and let us know when you arrive to receive the incentive.