The MicroTrain Blog

Beginning in January of 2013, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership made history by establishing a new Sector Center for Information Technology: Chicago TechWorks. This IT Sector Center is the first of its kind in the state and was formed as part of the collaboration between the City of Chicago and Cook County. MicroTrain, a leader in IT certification training and job placement, has joinined forces with The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to form Chicago TechWorks, the newest Sector Center for Cook County focused on information technology.

Using our experience and existing credibility in the IT industry, Chicago TechWorks is creating new pathways to good jobs and careers for workers new to the industry and aims to achieve systemic changes that benefit employers, workers and the community.

“We are honored to be chosen as the new IT Sector Center and intend to finally fill the gap between IT workers looking for jobs, employers seeking qualified workers, and public workforce resources for both”, said Matt Weis, Director of Workforce Development with MicroTrain Technologies.

In 2005, the City of Chicago, established two sector-based workforce centers: ManufacturingWorks (MW) and ServiceWorks (SW). After a report to the Chicago Workforce Investment Board and the Joyce Foundation in 2009 by the UIC Center for Urban Economic Development outlined how valuable these Sector Centers were, the city decided to consider proposals to start similar centers in other sectors.

MicroTrain has focused on one goal for over a decade: helping clients find their next job. Because of this focus, MicroTrain has helped thousands of people find better jobs in the most challenging employment market in generations; a task that includes providing critical career training, helping clients attain professional certifications, revising resumes, honing interview skills, and improving social media presence, while offering valuable networking opportunities and ultimately helping to secure new work through job placement services. Chicago TechWorks will leverage this expertise to offer market-driven, accessible and convenient services to both the employer and job seeker.

Chicago TechWorks operates on the premise that the employer is the primary customer. This demand-driven approach is based on two core values. First, that recruitment is only one element of an employer’s workforce needs. And second, that recruitment challenges often flow from other human resource and organizational needs within the company. Prudent stewardship of public funding means helping companies understand and deal with their short-term needs while helping them improve for the longer-term.

For this reason, Chicago TechWorks (like other Sector Centers) offers services that are explicitly tailored to employers, such as workshops and consulting services, to help them better understand their own needs and potential solutions. By drawing together a range of services from public and private-sector vendors, we offer our customers more than just recruitment. We offer a full suite of value-added services, including:

• “skills gap” assessments that often result in prescriptions for incumbent worker training
• providing information and access to training that employers may require
• providing or coordinating other business services to businesses such as marketing, strategic planning, and penetration of new markets
• coordinating large-scale recruitment events on employers’ behalf
• pre-screening candidates and referring the most qualified individuals on for further consideration by employers
• organizing “VIP hiring events” with targeted groups of employers and jobseekers

In our first 5 months we have:

• served a total of 174 unduplicated registered people in LWIA7
• helped 30 people gain employment.
• given a total of 3 workshops to WorkNet Center Staff
• attended a total of 4 job fairs
• attended a total of 7 meetings with WorkNet offices to talk about the IT Sector
• worked with 36 employers.

Thank you to the entire MicroTrain team for helping our team become so successful. We are right on track to meet our employment goal and we have already exceeded our service goals!

Right now we are looking for job postings from employers, job seekers who have IT experience, and partners who want to help employers increase their capacity to handle IT human resource challenges. Jobseekers and employers can connect with Chicago TechWorks by calling 312-628-9231 or emailing Andi Grabemeyer, IT Sector Center Manager, at agrabemeyer@chicagotechworks.com.

Remember the days when applying for work consisted of looking at job ads in the Sunday paper, driving around town collecting employment applications, and hand delivering your resume? Times have certainly changed!  Over the last 20 years our lives, culture, and way we communicate has reinvented itself from face to face interpersonal relationships to a new age digital format.  

 So what impact does this change in communication style have on the long-term unemployed’s ability to find work?

 Years spent working for a single employer can play havoc on one’s ability to navigate the employment search processes.  According to US News and World Report there are 4.6 million long-term unemployed Americans, with two-thirds of them having been out of work for more than a year.  Many of the long-term unemployed are those who worked 5 or more years with their previous employer.  Some have even invested 20 plus years.   Extended time spent out of the job market can create a disconnect in the way dislocated workers are seeking out new job opportunities.  Many unemployed, especially those who are long-term unemployed simply are not in tune with how the job application process works today, and are therefore facing a brick wall in their employment search that can be detrimental.  

 So how can the long-term unemployed get out from the unemployment hold and into a new rewarding position?

 Most of us are already aware that the longer we are out of work the less attractive we will be to potential employers.   In my career as a Program Director for MicroTrain Technologies, I have helped hundreds of unemployed individuals understand what it takes to be competitive in today’s job market and learn the ins and outs of securing employment. Finding employment takes time and effort but with a little tweaking even the long-term unemployed can go from jobless to hired!   

 Here are some great tips that will help you maximize your job search efforts!

 Get Connected!

The use of social media in today’s job market is a hot ticket item.  Employers are using sites such as Linkedin to search for qualified talent, check references, and verify your employment history. Linkedin is a great way to display your accomplishments, get recommendations from people who know your work ethic, and to grow professionally within your industry.

• Seek out others who work in your industry and who work for companies you are interested 
• Establish yourself in your industry by joining groups that tie into your background
• Build your connections by asking everyone you know or come in contact with to connect with you
• Share articles and content that is interesting to those who you are linked to 
• Give recommendations to others and in turn you can get recommendations from others

 Get Current!

If your skill set is as dusty and out of date as that old shoe box full of cassette tapes in your closet, then get up to date.   It is vital to the long-term unemployed that they be current in their skill set.  Think about taking steps to learn current, in-demand skills.

• Staying current during an extended time out of work shows commitment and dedication to your career 
• Eliminates the gap in employment history
• Will help your resume stand out to employers 

 Get Involved!

One of the most fun and fabulous things job seekers can do while looking for work is to get involved with various organizations.  

• Do your research on companies who may be willing to use your expertise on a volunteer basis
• Join job clubs that will help you network with others who are seeking out employment or who have similar backgrounds as you  
• Attend seminars and conventions that can help you grow professionally 
• Attend job fairs - it is a great way to get in front of companies who are hiring and is great practice for interviewing.  Visit every both that is there and use those companies you are not generally interested in to practice your job pitch

 So what are you waiting for?  Get moving. Brick by brick start tearing down that wall.  Remove the barriers that lie between you and that new job!