SPRINGFIELD, IL (KMOX) – Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) ends on December 29 for all Americans, and for Illinois that means nearly 100,000 people will be left without unemployment benefits.

“We estimate that 90,000 people will immediately be without unemployment insurance benefits and an additional 20 to 100 people each week who would have graduated to EUC will not be able to do so,” Greg Rivara with the Illinois Department of Employment Security said.

Rivara says right now there are more than 120,000 open jobs in Illinois, both public and private sector, but that “the skills gap is what prevents a lot of people from taking some of those jobs.” He says Illinois is encouraging those out of work to seek new training to qualify for those open positions.

Another problem, according to Rivara, is that people are often qualified for jobs but don’t realize it. For example, one may consider himself a good plumber while ignoring the range of skills that come along with plumbing which could be used in another field.