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