CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) --Officials working with Cook County and the City of Chicago are trying to get the word out about a joint operation that's linking job-seekers with potential employers.
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership bills itself as the largest workforce development system in the nation, having placed more than 70,000 people into jobs. Partnership CEO George Wright said their efforts are aimed at filling jobs in the hottest categories and helping to train candidates for those positions.
He added that sustainability in careers starts with making sure that people are prepared and have the necessary skills "especially with a changing job market that needs specific skills that maybe 10, 20, 30 years ago was not necessarily the case."
In addition to training, the agency provides career coaching and resume assistance in a number of high-demand fields. Wright said there's a growing need to get the employers involved in designing the training.
"Those individuals that are working in those fields, who don't consider themselves teachers or don't consider themselves instructors can actually play a vital role in making sure that people understand, 'Okay, once you have the knowledge, these are the things that you're going to be faced with when you actually do his job," he explained.
"So I think that's not just involving those individuals in the curriculum. It's involving those individuals in a real sense."
Wright said there are always good jobs available in healthcare and Information Technology. Those are traditional top fields, but he also said manufacturing operations are looking for skilled workers for what are increasingly high- tech jobs.
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership works with more than 90 community-based organizations, the American Job Centers, and more to bring employers and employees together.
More information can be found at chicookworks.org or by calling (312) 603-0200.
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