10 Outstanding CareerPathways Providers You Should Know
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
Chicagoland CareerPathways, a project of the Pro Path Fund at the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance, has grown over its two years of life to become a hub for the workforce development and education ecosystems in the Chicagoland region.
The career training programs featured in the CareerPathways directory are high-quality, low-barrier options for young adults, adult workers, and their guides. Many of the organizations partnered with CareerPathways have also engaged in unique funding opportunities through the CareerPathways networks.
To celebrate CWFA’s Ten Years of Impact, we’re excited to share this sampling of ten high-quality program providers (in no particular order) from the Chicagoland CareerPathways directory. All of these organizations have used CareerPathways both to recruit participants and to create new funding relationships. Be sure to learn more about them in the CareerPathways directory!
1. Chicago Commons Association
Chicago Commons Association’s mission is to empower individuals, families, and communities to overcome poverty and systemic barriers, embrace opportunities, and thrive across generations.
Chicago Commons was founded as a settlement house in 1894. For 125 years, they have operated in areas where residents are most under-resourced. To fulfill their mission, they provide high quality early childhood education, family services, and senior services to more than 3,500 individuals. Their early education centers empower children and families in high-need neighborhoods. Their Family Hub staff deliver financial coaching, employment and education services, and health and wellness supports. Their Adult Day Service center serves seniors and adults with disabilities, and they provide Home Care to seniors throughout the metro area.
Chicago Commons is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be awarded a $5,000 unrestricted grant as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways.
2. National Able Network
National Able Network, Inc., provides individuals with best-in-class employment counseling, training, and placement services which promote economic sustainability in each community Able serves.
Their expertise in serving disadvantaged populations (including seniors, veterans, women, and people of color) and experience working with employer partners ensures that program offerings are designed to achieve positive long-term outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. Able is a nationally-recognized industry leader and assists more than 75,000 individuals annually through the administration of multiple large-scale workforce development programs in five states.
National Able Network is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be awarded a $5,000 unrestricted grant as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways. They have also connected with Bridges to Brighter Futures in 2021’s Middle Skills funding opportunity, and were included in our 2021 Funder Showcase.
3. Youth Guidance
Youth Guidance is a leading provider of outcomes-driven programs and capacity-building initiatives, directly serving about 13,000 youth while touching the lives of hundreds more parents, schools and local communities.
Youth Workforce Development programs at Youth Guidance empower youth from under–resourced communities to develop the key life skills they need to connect to meaningful opportunities aligned with their interests and passion. They aim to enable youth to overcome obstacles, focus on their education, and ultimately, to succeed in life through professional development training, coaching, job placement, and retention assistance.
This year, Youth Guidance will serve more than 225 youth from across Chicago.
Youth Guidance is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be awarded a $5,000 unrestricted grant as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways.
Click here to view Youth Guidance’s program, Project Prepare Blue, on Chicagoland CareerPathways.
4. Manufacturing Renaissance
Manufacturing Renaissance (MR) seeks to contribute towards building a new approach to development centering manufacturing as a key strategy that serves to enfranchise Black, brown and low-income communities economically and socially.
MR works to advance inclusive sustainable development through manufacturing and currently operates across two program areas:
1) Career Pathway Services through the Manufacturing Connect and the Young Manufacturers Association programs to expose, train, prepare and support low-income youth and young adults to pursue and persist in career track employment and apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing;
2) Manufacturing Ecosystem Services include collaborative initiatives done primarily through the Chicagoland Manufacturing Renaissance Council which convenes diverse stakeholders to support policies and programs that support manufacturing as a vehicle for community development.
Manufacturing Renaissance is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be featured in an upcoming Funder Showcase as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways.
5. Youth Job Center
The mission of Youth Job Center (YJC) is, “Success for young people, in the workplace and in life.” YJC envisions a future where all young people have the support to build a meaningful career and fulfill their potential.
YJC is a leading youth workforce agency in Cook County, annually providing job training and placement, personalized career advising, work-based learning programs, retention and career advancement supports, as well as wraparound social-emotional services to more than 2,000 clients, ages 14-25. YJC programs have demonstrated success working with youth from diverse backgrounds in all steps of the career pathway process and lead to lifelong learning and sustainable employment.
Youth Job Center is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be featured in an upcoming Funder Showcase as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways.
6. Year Up
Year Up is a tuition-free training program that provides young adults, ages 18 – 29, with hands-on skill development, corporate internships with leading companies, a stipend, and access to certifications and college credit recommendations.
They achieve their mission by offering technical skills training in Banking and Financial Services, Data Analytics, Information Technology, and Project Management. Over 90% of their trainees are working and/or in college within four months of graduation, earning an average salary of $43,000/year. Some of their corporate partners include Bank of America, Facebook, The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, JP Morgan Chase, LinkedIn, Northwestern University, Salesforce, and United Airlines.
Year Up is a winner of this month’s CWFA $15K Raffle. They will be featured in an upcoming Funder Showcase as a thank you for their engagement with Chicagoland CareerPathways. Year Up was also included in our 2021 Funder Showcase.
Click here to view Year Up on Chicagoland CareerPathways.
7. Per Scholas
Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for more than 25 years.
Per Scholas believes that a diverse workforce is a strong workforce. They help to build a more diverse technical workforce by creating educational opportunities for groups underrepresented in the tech sector today including women and people of color. Through rigorous training, professional development, and robust employer connections, they prepare individuals for high-growth careers in the technology industry. They partner with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting our graduates to new career opportunities, from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 18 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 14,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology.
Per Scholas connected with Bridges to Brighter Futures in 2021’s Middle Skills funding opportunity, and was featured in our 2021 Funder Showcase.
8. HIRE360
HIRE360 is an Industry Led, Worker Centered, and Community Focused nonprofit focused on building a diverse workforce.
Through localized mentorship, direct investment and specialized services, HIRE360 is strengthening the participation of underrepresented populations in the Chicago area – with a special focus on engaging youth to consider the trades as a viable and inspiring career path, mentoring and growing Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise firms, and creating a supply chain of partners that are accountable to higher participation standards.
Through localized mentorship, direct investment and specialized services, HIRE360 is strengthening the participation of underrepresented populations in the Chicago area – with a special focus on engaging youth to consider the trades as a viable and inspiring career path, mentoring and growing Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise firms, and creating a supply chain of partners that are accountable to higher participation standards.
HIRE360 aims to model socially responsible hiring and supply chain accountability as a way to transform communities that are rich in talent but lacking in resources or opportunity and provide for an economic engine that maximizes Chicago’s potential. They aim to provide a roadmap for businesses and communities beyond Chicago looking for a better way to uplift and empower their people.
HIRE360 connected with Bridges to Brighter Futures in 2021’s Middle Skills funding opportunity.
Click here to view Hire360 on Chicagoland CareerPathways.
9. Inspiration Corporation
In an atmosphere of dignity and respect, Inspiration Corporation connects people and creates opportunity through access to social services, job training, housing, and food.
Inspiration Corporation meets people where they are in life, helping them access the supports they need and achieve their personal goals. Each year, Inspiration Corporation works with hundreds of resilient Chicagoans who face systemic disparities and inequities, such as homelessness, hunger, and social isolation. In order to help individuals and families overcome these barriers, Inspiration Corporation provides housing, meals, job training, scholarships, and homeless engagement services.
In 2021 alone, Inspiration Corporation served over 43,000 meals at their full-service restaurant-style community eatery, Inspiration Cafe, including more than 2,400 meals donated by volunteers. Inspiration Corporation also produced over 48,000 meals at Inspiration Kitchens, their social enterprise restaurant and job training facility, which were distributed to those in need through a collection of peer organizations.
Inspiration Corporation was featured in our 2021 Funder Showcase.
10. HANA Center
Meaning “one” in Korean, HANA responds to the critical needs of the Korean American and local resident communities and engages in powerful community organizing, advocacy, and celebration of cultural heritage.
Their mission is to empower Korean American, immigrant, and multi-ethnic communities through social services, education, culture, and community organizing to advance human rights.
HANA is committed to serving the diverse interests of their community. HANA believes we are stronger together than we are apart, and that shared history and culture are a strength. By combining community resources, HANA believes we can accomplish more than we can by ourselves. HANA Center keeps their core values at the forefront of all of their work: human rights, comprehensive offerings, strengths-based approach, and togetherness.
HANA Center was featured in our 2021 Funder Showcase.
How can I partner with CareerPathways?
There’s always room for more providers in our directory. If your organization would like to apply for inclusion in CareerPathways, click here to fill out a quick form. Our team with get back to you as soon as possible!
CareerPathways is always happy to connect interested funders with programs they are excited about. Click here to learn about the resources we offer our funder partners. If you have questions or would like to partner with us, reach out to Becca Senatore, Directory Manager, at [email protected]. We look forward to connecting with you!
Have something else in mind? Reach out to Becca Senatore directly, or fill out this contact form.