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The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is the nation’s only workforce development program designed to help older workers gain the skills they need to re-enter the workforce. It offers participants paid, on-the-job training, allowing them to build confidence and…

Three years ago, Daniela William migrated to Chicago from Israel. She says, “I came on a trip with my mom, and I thought ‘It’s a gorgeous city. I love Chicago. So now I’m going to stay here!’” Her education and…

The American Job Center in Pilsen receives thousands of visitors seeking to pursue all  kinds of career support – from filing to receive unemployment benefits to applying for the  Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program to interview preparation with …

If you are reading this article, the odds are you’re reading it on the computer. To do that, you either need to own a computer or go to a shared computer space, like a library. And those computers need to…

National Able Network has served the South Side community since the 1970s. Thousands of job seekers have received all kinds of employment and career services from training assistance to interview preparation. As the 50th year of service is right around…

FROM TEACHING TO TECH: THE JOURNEY TO A NEW CAREER  Valeria Martinez graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in environmental studies. She dreamed of a career in Environmental Sustainability or Natural Resource Management. Unfortunately, finding a career in those…

When you think of American manufacturing, what do you picture? Most people probably visualize a Rust Belt city on the shores of Lake Erie, smokestacks and the smell of slag filling the air, and a hollowed-out town in the distance.  …

Raised in the historically industrial town of Franklin Park, Jonathan Sutter began preparing for a career in manufacturing while still in high school. Upon graduation, there weren’t many jobs in the industry. So, Jonthan quickly pivoted and entered the trade…

A recent article in The Atlantic takes aim at the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and makes the case that WIOA training is ineffective and places workers into dead-end jobs.   In “The Problem with In-Demand Jobs,” author Kevin Carey…

Brandy Newbern, a 28-year old mom and homegrown Chicagoan, had always been interested in Information Technology (IT). Although she originally pursued an education in nursing and had a steady career in sales while managing her very own small business, she…

Looking for a job as a queer person isn’t just about finding any job—it’s about finding a workplace where you can truly be yourself and thrive. As someone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, I understand firsthand the…

Across the last two decades or so, employers have emphasized credential-based hiring practices. The refrain has become familiar: most – if not every – position within a company requires a college degree or some other credential as a prerequisite for…