About
Thomas Peters serves as the Director of Workforce Development of Symbol Training Institute, a post secondary career and technical hands-on advanced manufacturing training center with multiple locations in the Chicagoland area. Symbol initially started out as a tool and die shop which later evolved into a training facility. Tom leads Symbol’s initiative to combat the skilled labor shortage by providing superior hands-on training and job placement services to its students and the manufacturing community. Tom’s passion for workforce development is evident from his proven track record with manufacturing companies who hire Symbol graduates. Under Tom’s leadership, Symbol has positioned itself as an employer-driven institute.
Tom’s endless persistence has helped place thousands of students into high paying, high demand jobs within the manufacturing field despite it being during one of the worst economic recessions in years. Tom has also helped expand the course curriculum to strategically place Symbol in a growth position while providing better service to the manufacturing industry. In 2013, Symbol was designated a Manufacturing Sector Center for all of Cook County by the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. Symbol has two locations in Skokie and Addison. From 2014-2017 Symbol’s students have earned thousands of National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) credentials making Symbol the leader in the nation and in the state for NIMS credentials earned accounting for 25% of all NIMS credentials in the entire state of Illinois.
Tom is active in a variety of civic and cultural organizations including The National Manufacturing Reshoring Initiative, The Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, Junior Achievement, and Family Focus. Tom also used to serve on Congresswoman Duckworth’s Manufacturing Advisory Council.
Videos (1)
Tom Peters On Chasing Quality Rather Than Chasing Money
