Crain's Chicago Business reports: Building on its reputation, Chicago area, City Colleges of Chicago, becomes a force for workforce development

Pictured is Wilbur Wright College student and its Class of 2026 Valedictorian, Anas Ahmed. 

As reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago is doubling down on workforce development as a core economic strategy, with city leaders, colleges, unions, nonprofits, and employers building “earn-and-learn” pipelines that connect residents directly to stable careers.

Chicago’s long-standing identity as “The City That Works” is being redefined through apprenticeships, employer-led training, debt-free education programs, and career pathways in fast-growing sectors like AI, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and skilled trades.

Major employers are partnering with educational institutions to train workers for future industries. IBM announced a partnership with City Colleges of Chicago to prepare workers for jobs at the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP) through a new apprenticeship initiative called Moonshot.

AON has already hired more than 300 apprentices through its long-running collaboration with City Colleges of Chicago and workforce programs are increasingly designed around employer needs while also addressing barriers to employment.

To support the individual needs of students, City Colleges offers wraparound support such as tutoring, internships, apprenticeship, mentorship, and advising. The goal is upward mobility — especially for students from underrepresented communities.

 Employers like AON have dropped bachelor’s degree requirements for many positions, arguing that traditional credentials unnecessarily exclude talented workers. Apprenticeship models allow people to earn income while learning skills, mirroring other systems.

 Interconnected efforts across Illinois and Chicago include:

• Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges are building smoother postsecondary pathways.
• Hope Chicago is funding debt-free college access tied to workforce development.
• Trade unions such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are exposing high school students to skilled trades earlier.
• Companies like S&C Electric are paying tuition for apprentices to secure future talent pipelines.
• Illinois has increased state funding for apprenticeship and workforce programs, especially in high-growth sectors.

Wilbur Wright College student, Ahmed Ahmed, a recent graduate of City Colleges, had been working in tech sales, but after losing his job, he began looking for better long-term stability and opportunities for advancement. On his list included other colleges besides City Colleges of Chicago. But after doing his research, he chose Wilbur Wright College because of its inclusive community and the support it could offer him with transfer partners as well as the academic excellence it offered.  In 2024, he enrolled in its two-year engineering program.

He shared that the support system at the college transformed his trajectory. The school provided:

• intensive tutoring
• a financial stipend that reduced pressure to work while going to school
• hands-on experience through an internship
• and guaranteed admission pathways into several Illinois universities with top tier engineering schools

Ahmed described the environment as consistently supportive, saying there “was not a single time” when he lacked help from someone at the school. He credits that support structure as a major reason he succeeded. He now plans to continue his education at Illinois Institute of Technology in the fall, where he will pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

His experience is an example of how City Colleges of Chicago is providing academic excellence and a real pathway into higher-paying careers through education that is available in their community. To learn more about City Colleges of Chicago School of Engineering, click here or visit: https://engineering.ccc.edu/

Read the full article in Crain’s Chicago Business