Funds go towards IT jobs in Chicago and new initiative
Posted on January 30, 2019
A new round of funding is going towards IT jobs in Chicago and a new apprentice initiative.
JPMorgan Chase, Salesforce.org, The Joyce Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Pritzker Traubert Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Aon, Accenture and others launched Apprenticeship 2020, which will accelerate the growth of apprenticeships in high-demand industries and occupations.
The $3.2 million fund will support high-quality work-based learning programs in Chicago with a goal of facilitating the hiring of 1,000 apprentices by 2020. City Colleges of Chicago will receive $1.25 million to support the enrollment of 350 apprentices over the next two years.
“City Colleges of Chicago has the 21st century academic and workforce preparedness programs that prepare students for success in the fast-growing industries bringing jobs to our city, and companies are taking notice,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Apprenticeship 2020 will provide our highly-skilled graduates with resources and a pipeline to help them transition seamlessly into in-demand careers with top companies across Chicago.”
“Our apprenticeships program has far exceeded our expectations in terms of its impact on both our firm and Chicago.” said Greg Case, CEO of Aon. “We’ve attracted new employees we never would have reached and provided students opportunities to gain invaluable, hands-on experiences while furthering their education. We look forward to sharing what we see as a long-term business strategy with more employers and cities using the Chicago Apprentice Network as a model of excellence.”
Apprenticeship 2020 will invest $1.25 million in City Colleges of Chicago to launch a new office of Apprenticeship & Workforce Solutions that will help employers develop apprenticeship programs, recruit students to apprenticeship opportunities, and implement academic curriculum for apprenticeship and work-based learning programs.
“Now is the time to develop an integrated apprenticeship system that helps employers meet talent needs with a more diverse talent pipeline and provides opportunities for workers to pursue careers that were previously inaccessible,” said Matthew Bruce, Executive Director of the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance.
In summer 2018, City Colleges committed to help ensuring that more than half of the graduates participate in work-based learning opportunities. With the support of Chicago’s business and civic community, City Colleges students enrolled in degree, certificate and boot camp programs will gain tangible experience. This initiative is expected to reach more than 4,000 students annually.