City Colleges of Chicago has launched an innovative program called “College to Careers” to ensure Chicago residents are ready for jobs in high growth industries - jobs that are available today but remain unfilled because of a skills gap.
The program forges partnerships between City Colleges, corporations and organizational partners to drive the creation of jobs in growing fields and help increase the competitiveness of Chicago’s companies.
This comprehensive strategy draws upon the partners’ industry expertise and knowledge of business demand to develop the definitive standard in industry credentials for respective fields. The partnerships will initially focus on two fields, healthcare and transportation, distribution and logistics, and will grow to include programs in other high-demand sectors.
Over the next ten years, Chicago will need approximately 43,000 more health care practitioners than currently exist. Chicago will need almost 15,000 new nurses. In transportation, the region will need 4,000 new truck drivers to fill the openings that will occur between now and 2020.
The partnerships bring corporations, non-profit organizations and City Colleges together in at least three ways:
1) CURRICULUM DESIGN & CREATION OF CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS: Industry experts inform the creation of best-in-class industry training programs that align with national standards, garner industry certification, and equip students with the skills they will need to be successful in growing fields.
2) CURRICULUM DELIVERY: Partnerships engage industry experts as teacher-practitioners to deliver a real-world perspective in City Colleges’ classrooms.
3) ACCESS TO INTERNSHIPS, INTERVIEWS, AND FACILITIES: Partnerships provide City Colleges students with direct access to top-notch facilities for training purposes and give students the opportunity to secure internships and job interviews.
Models vary by employer based on the skills gap in the respective industry and employer capacity and interest.
The healthcare partnership will take advantage of Malcolm X College’s proximity to the Illinois Medical District and build upon its strong and growing allied health programs. The transportation and logistics industry partnership will focus on enhancing existing programs and developing new offerings predominantly found at Olive-Harvey College.
Partners in the respective fields include:
Transportation/Distribution/Logistics:
Coyote Logistics, UPS, Canadian National Railway, Union Pacific, AAR
Corporation, BNSF, Schneider Finance Inc., and United Airlines
Healthcare: Rush University Medical
Center, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Chicago Hospitals,
Advocate Health Care, University of Illinois at Chicago, Jesse Brown VA,
Walgreens, CVS, John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Baxter, and
Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council
More Information
For Employers
Looking to partner with City Colleges of Chicago?
Contact:
Willa Lang
Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development
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Full Description
Under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chancellor Cheryl Hyman, and CCC Board Chairman Martin Cabrera, Jr., City Colleges of Chicago launched “Colleges to Careers” in December 2011 to ensure our students are ready for jobs in high growth industries.
Students choose City Colleges for everything from associate degrees to continuing education for personal enrichment. However, for those who attend City Colleges to pursue a degree or certificate, students must feel confident that upon graduation they will have an education that can help them move into the work arena or on a career path, if they wish to continue their studies.
"College to Careers" is City Colleges’ Workforce Development initiative that builds partnerships with corporations, professional associations, and non-profits to develop necessary industry-recognized certificates and degrees in various fields. To accomplish this, our faculty will work with industry partners to assess certain aspects of program, curriculum, and outcomes to create new, relevant learning and employment opportunities for students.
Through enhanced academic and career advising services, students will better understand their options. For example, within the next decade, industry reports indicate that Chicago will need approximately 75,000 more health care practitioners than currently exist. More than one-third of those positions will require an associate's degree. In addition, Chicago will need almost 18,000 newly educated registered nurses. In transportation, the region will need 4,000 new truck drivers to fill the openings that will occur between now and 2020.
We are committed to delivering credentials of economic value so our students can be successful in an ever-changing global workplace. These partnerships will bring corporations and City Colleges together in at least three ways:
Curriculum Design and Creation of Certificate Programs
Industry experts will work with CCC faculty to create the best-in-class industry training programs that align with national standards, garner industry certification, and equip students with the skills they need to be successful in emerging fields.
Curriculum Delivery, Mentoring and Modeling for Students
Industry experts will join faculty in the classrooms as teacher-practitioners to deliver real-world, on-the-job insight and perspectives.
Access to Internships, Interviews, and Facilities
Partnerships provide City Colleges’ students with direct access to leading edge facilities for training and give students the opportunity to secure internships and job interviews. Each participating industry sector will work closely with CCC to design this part of the process. This is where College to Careers can close the loop for students entering the job market. In addition to their earned skills, College to Careers provides students a direct connection to these important industries while addressing the skills gap.
Contact Information:
(773) 481-8840
contact@cccworkforceinstitute.com