Bradley's Partnership with Peoria and Central Illinois Economic Impact Bradley University is the county's fourth largest non-manufacturing employer. The Illinois Manufacturing Extension sub-center based at Bradley serves the approximately 5200 manufacturing firms in the central part of Illinois. This sub-center maintains a database of more than 100 consultants with expertise in a variety of manufacturing and business areas. Bradley facilities include a technology center, new rapid prototyping laboratory, energy analysis and diagnostic center, and extensive CIM, CAD, robotics, coordinate measuring, and extrusion molding facilities. The Small Business Development Center provides business training, and technical assistance to start-up and existing businesses through its counseling and training programs.
Assistance often includes work on business plans, marketing strategies and financial projections.
Since its creation in 1984, the SBDC annually receives over 400 requests for assistance and information. Each year the Center assists in the creation of several new businesses, an average of 40 new jobs and the retention of over 40 existing jobs. Since 1972, Bradley's Foster College of Business Administration has been utilizing teams of senior-level business students to work on projects with central Illinois businesses and organizations as part of their curriculum requirements. This program has completed over 1,500 projects. Bradley's new eBusiness Center is one of 6 in the State.