Introducing Chicago TechWorks: Filling the Gap Between Unemployed IT Workers and Available Jobs

by Andrea Grabemeyer on May 24th, 2013

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.

Raves & Praise

Kaycee Ekufu

MCSA

The instructor [Al Khalfan] was very knowledgeable in the field. He presented the materials and concepts with a professional touch. He also frequently adds humor to his teachings, which made it easier for me to understand. The support staff was all nice, gentle, caring, and very helpful. The materials, rooms and amenities were excellent and exceeded expected standards.

David

A Cisco Success Story

I attended a resume writing seminar & conducted mock phone interviews with a Microtrain career counselor. These two activities gave me a leg up on distinguishing myself from all the other people looking for work. Since the career counselor's at Microtrain had a track record of getting people hired, their insight and positive past experiences helped me tremendously in getting hired with a Cisco Voice Systems Integrator in the Chicago area. I was hired as a Cisco Voice Tech Engineer with a starting salary of $65,000 / year with a Cisco voice systems reseller located in the Chicagoland area. Microtrain was very instramental in making this a reality. From expediting my WIA grant, to providing excellent hands-on training from knowledgable instructors I was able to achieve becoming certified with my CCNP. Microtrain's career services was the final catalyst in connecting me with this company by communicating with them on my behalf and with me in setting up the interview. One week later and I was hired. No joke. Thanks Microtrain!

Karine Bucci

Project Management

Great class, loved the interaction and team-building exercises. Plenty of materials and learning tools supplied. Although it was a full week's class, never boring. Donna [Russell] was awesome and gave many supporting examples for better understanding.

Jennie

Student Employment Success - Project/Process Manager

My Career Services Manager was very friendly and helpful and had excellent follow-up. She seemed to really care how things were going and kept me moving in the right direction. The resources available in job search were great and the visibility that there were jobs out there looking for my skillset was promising. Additionally, the training, as well as having an updated resume stating the Microtrain course work I had taken made me feel more confident and marketable as I looked for employment. It showed that I was dedicated and took project management and process management seriously.

Scott Wilson - Team Bradley

Employer Partner Feedback

Dawn has been a pleasure to work with. She is diligent in her efforts to give MicroTrain’s students the best opportunities to connect and network with various companies and players in the job market. The curriculums and certification programs are in line with today’s current IT needs. It’s good to see that they evolve with what employers are most seeking out there. I would recommend to any employer that hires skilled IT workers that they look into MicroTrain’s career services department as a potential source of candidates. The business of hiring can be quite costly, and Dawn and her staff provide a free service to outside companies. This value-add for MicroTrain’s students aligns with their mission in both training and job assistance to set up a win/win scenario for all involved.

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