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Annual Report 2025
A diverse group of about twenty people in bright yellow hard hats and high-visibility vests posing in the middle of a bright big, clean manufacturing plant with a united states flag hanging far in the background.
Headshot of CEO George Wright.

Renew, Refresh & Rediscover

These words describe The Partnership’s growth and experience during the Program Year 2024 (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025) which offered new opportunities and challenges. We renewed our focus on the outcomes and impact of our work. We don’t just want to meet and exceed our goals, which we do consistently, we want to track the impact of our efforts on the lives of the people and businesses we serve. We rediscovered how to best communicate with and about our network with regional customers and that led to a refresh of our website, our voice and our logo.

George Wright, CEO, The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership

The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership's old logo, which features a blue and green star, with an arrow pointing to a new bigger logo that now uses the colors blue and orange. The new logo also features a geometric "C" with an arrow pointing up and to the right from the bottom left corner of the C.

Renewing & Refreshing Our Digital Identity

We refreshed!  We created a new logo. The blue in our logo represents loyalty, a reflection of our steadfast commitment to impact. The orange symbolizes enthusiasm, capturing the energy and optimism we bring to workforce development. Together, these colors inspire trust, passion, and a shared drive for success, motivating our audience to connect, collaborate, and thrive.  

We refreshed our website’s look and feel, updating our voice and site map. We beefed up pages describing our networks’ programs, highlighting partners and funders, and clearly stating outcomes and impact.

Turning Outcomes into Impact for Career Seekers
Program Year 2024​

$ 0 M

Invested from Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Funding

0

Residents Provided Services Through WIOA Funding

$ 0 M

In Wages Earned By Those Who Worked With Our Network

$ 0 M

Invested Into Individual Training Accounts

0

Residents Received Training Dollars Through Individual Training Accounts

0

Regional Businesses Engaged Through The Partnership’s Apprenticeship Illinois Expansion initiative

$ 0 M

Invested in On-The-Job Training With Employer-Partners

0 %

of those who had been laid off landed a new job after working with our network

Program Year 2024: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

In Their Own Words

American Job Centers get good reviews

A diverse group of a man and three women standing in front of a reception desk at the American Job Center in Pilsen. In the background, you can see the office is decorated with flags from around Latin America and "papel picado".

Start Here

“I am glad this service is offered to people. For those that might not know where to start looking for help or have the means to fund themselves for a program, I am grateful.”

– AJC in Pilsen customer

Great Staff

“The staff was extremely helpful and very pleasant. They worked with me until my application was complete to the fullest extent. They were very kind and generous with their time.”

– AJC in Wheeling customer

A closeup of a young black woman smiling.

Learn and Grow

“WIOA and my Work Experience gave me the chance to learn and grow. Now I have a career that I’m proud of, and I feel hopeful about my future.”

– Stacay W.

Working With Employer Partners
Click on an icon to read more​

A group of five diverse men posing next to a disassembled bus that is in the process of being transformed into an electric vehicle.

Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) Funding

$9M

invested for the first two years of CEJA training

400+

jobseekers to receive CEJA training in the first two years

In 2024, The Partnership opened two regional Workforce Hubs providing clean energy and related workforce training. These two Hubs are part of a network of thirteen Hubs in Illinois, part of the Illinois Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, funded by the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA).

The program is designed to offer workforce development support to residents most affected by climate change, pollution, economic disinvestment, and energy transition impact, often in historically underrepresented communities.

A smiling balck man taking a selfie in a blue construction hat and an orange high visibility jacket.

Construction Sector

140

ConsctructionWorks participants have secured union apprenticeships

76

ConstructionWorks participants have completed trade training

Lenell G. came to The Partnership’s network after being laid off, for support and enrolled in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funded and ConstructionWorks, powered by the Illinois Tollway, programs. With support from the programs, Lenell completed Local 150’s evaluation and was hired as a Drill Helper at Geocon Professional Services, taking a major step toward full union membership.

A group of diverse individuals in professional attire.

Healthcare Sector Center

20+

Employer-partners served by The Partnership’s Healthcare Sector Center

170

career seekers placed into healthcare positions ranging from $19 to $53 per hour

The Partnership’s Healthcare Sector Center, operated by Equus Workforce Solutions, meets employer needs by offering recruiting, pre-screening, and employee training services in the healthcare sector.

Over four years, The Partnership and Northwestern Medicine (NM) collaboration has resulted in The Partnership network placing more than 100 residents in careers with NM, with 25 participating in an  On-The-Job Training program through the Sector Center.

A black woman with long hair holding an, "I made a great hire!" sign. Standing next to a smiling young woman with hair in a bun holding an, "I got the offer!," sign.

Hospitality and Tourism Sector Center

192

Employer-partners served by The Partnership’s Hospitality & Tourism Sector Center in Program Year 2024

2,000+

Career Seekers served across events in The Partnership’s network

The Polish American Association (PAA) and Pyramid WorkWise Alliance (Pyramid) collaborated to leverage The Partnership’s network to assist Sodexo Live, an international employer. Sodexo opened a LOT Polish Airlines Lounge in Terminal 5 of O’Hare International Airport and had only months to staff the important site—the first LOT Airlines Lounge outside of Poland. Pyramid operates the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Center for the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. Pyramid and PAA planned and executed a hiring campaign for Sodexo, resulting in nearly 40 local residents now working full-time for an international employer.

A photo of a busy room showing people talking to vendors at their table.

Information Technology Sector Center

199

Job orders generated by employer-partners served by The Partnership’s Information Technology Sector Center

38

Career seekers served by The Partnership’s Information Technology Sector Center placed into regional Information Technology roles

The Partnership’s Information Technology (IT) Sector Center, operated by National Able Network, connects local businesses with job seekers to help build Chicago’s growing tech industry, which is projected to grow 32 percent in the next decade.

Chicago’s tech employment is over 300,000 strong, representing 7.2 percent of the workforce. During Program Year 2024, the Center served 40 employer-partners and placed career seekers into regional Information Technology roles with salaries ranging from $33,280 to $130,000.

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics

100+

Employer-partners served by The Partnership’s TDL Sector Center

28

Regional hiring events hosted The Partnership’s TDL Sector Center

Mareo R. is a Fleet Manager at Kalaju Transportation Services, which provides transportation for the elderly and those with disabilities. Mareo completed an 8-week On the Job Training (OJT) course through The Partnership’s network with Kalaju. During his OJT, his wages were covered by funds The Partnership allocates, ensuring Kalaju could afford to train him and Mareo could be compensated while he learned. He is now on his way in a new career.

Career Seekers Paths To Success
Funding Workforce Advancement

A smiling black woman wearing rectangular glasses and a head wrap holding a sign that says, "I got the offer!"

Cook County Career Connector

In 2022, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the launch of The Cook County Career Connector Program. The Program consisted of hiring events at Suburban Cook County sites within The Partnership’s network, promoting a more inclusive and equitable economy as Cook County emerged from the pandemic, by connecting residents to quality jobs and connecting employers to a skilled and diverse talent pool.


During Program Year 2024, there were four Career Connector events attended by nearly 500 career seekers and nearly 81 employers, representing multiple industry sectors offering a multitude of career opportunities.

A photo of a diverse group of workforce development professionals.

Good Jobs Chicagoland

Good Jobs Chicagoland connects job seekers to sustainable career pathways while helping businesses address critical workforce needs. The initiative is structured around four industry backbones, each led by a sector-specific partner. More than 30 training providers work with participants and employers to deliver high-quality curricula.

A diverse group of about 30 people wearking black dress shirts and holding certificates. They are standing in front of a, "Congrats" graduation sign.

Individual Training Accounts

In Program Year 2024, The Partnership invested over $19.1 million in training and issued more than 2,800 ITAs. Of those who received an ITA and exited the program, over 77% completed training, and 86% secured employment.

A smiling black woman wearing protective manufacturing clothes inside of a steel plant.

OpportunityWorks

Opportunity Works is an 8-week, year-round paid internship program for young adults 16-24 years old. From 2022 to 2024, Opportunity Summer provided similar opportunities to young people during the summer months, serving 200 interns, who earned  $15 an hour, for 25 hours a week. Approximately 80 employers hosted interns over the past program year.

A smiling young black woman with green hair and a pink jacket holding a certificate in front of a "160 Driving Academy Truck Driver Training" sign.

Road Home

This 34-month demonstration project was designed to cater to the comprehensive needs of individuals returning to Cook County from incarceration within Illinois’ penal institutions with an emphasis on workforce development, occupational training and permanent unsubsidized job placement. In April of 2023, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the expansion of the program as part of Second Chance Month observance.

Partnership Funding Information
Revenue and expenses from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

Revenue

Transcript

Revenue

  • Government Grants and Contracts: $78,120,688
  • Corporate and Foundation Grants: $237,500
  • Other: $73,733
  • TOTAL: $78,531,921

Expenses

Transcript

Expenses

  • Program Services: $79,935,154
  • Management and General: $17,645
  • Fundraising: $14,600
  • TOTAL: $79,967,399

Program Expenses by Area

Transcript

Program Expenses by Area

  • Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: $63,846,004
  • Sector initiatives: $4,926,461
  • Special populations: $11,154,474
  • Other: $8,215
  • TOTAL: $79,935,154
A small copy of the cover of the Annual Report. It features the same photo used in the hero section of this page of a diverse group of individiuals wearing high visibility vests in a manufacturing plant.

2025 Annual Report

From working with career seekers to career providers (employers)
The Partnership’s work is critical to our regional economy.
For more insights, download the full PDF below.

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