The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and Union Pacific Create All-Female Opportunity Works Cohort

Union Pacific Funding All-Female Paid Internship Program, Connecting Cook County Young Adults with Career Pathway in High-Demand, High-Growth Sector

(CHICAGO)— The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership) and Union Pacific Railroad (UP) today announced registration is open for an Opportunity Works cohort that focuses on the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (TDL) sector and specifically seeks interns locally and around the country. The cohort will be made up of only women and will be available for registration online or at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, South Suburban Center located 320 W. 202^nd St., Chicago Heights, IL 60411.

Opportunity Works is a paid internship program that was created in 2017 and is funded by Cook County and private sector partners.  The program runs year-round, with interns earning $15 an hour and working 30 hours a week. The Partnership collaborates with suburban Cook County and Chicago-area businesses and organizations to provide support for interns interested in building careers in high-demand, high-growth industries, including Manufacturing; Construction; Information Technology; Healthcare; and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics and other professional sectors.

Details of this specific cohort include:

• Open to female young adults, ages 18-25, who face barriers to employment which may include being justice-involved, unemployed, or low-income.
• 16-week internship; four weeks of which are paid.
  • 2-weeks: Soft skills training, employability skills, computer training, financial literacy, barrier reduction, individual employment plan, career goals established.
  • 10-weeks technical skills: Skills include welding, obtaining a CDL credential and OSHA certification
  • 4-weeks: Paid internship (30 hours per week at $15 an hour)

Historically, there have been six delegate agencies in The Partnership’s network that focus on serving youth through the Opportunity Works program: Business and Career Service (BCS), OAI, Prairie State College, SGA Youth & Family Services, Bethel Family Resource Center, and SERCO. This list is now being expanded to include the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, specifically to support this program.

“Union Pacific has long been a partner in this important program,” said George Wright, Partnership CEO. “This type of public-private partnership is critical for successful regional workforce development. We are thrilled to collaborate with them to create this unique cohort and leverage their additional $500,000 investment to attract more women to the TDL sector.”

This is the second time in recent years that Union Pacific has supported and provided funding to the Opportunity Works program, previously investing $300,000 to expand programming serving young adults from 2019 to 2022.

“Opportunity Works is a life-changing program, teaching students soft skills, while developing trade-related work experience that companies like Union Pacific look for as we hire the workforce of tomorrow,” said Liisa Stark, Vice President, Public Affairs, Union Pacific. “This effort supports our diversity goal to better reflect the communities we operate in by doubling our female population and increasing people of color to 40% by 2030.”

“Chicago’s sustainability is contingent on the future of our youth,” said Nicole Robinson, CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. “That’s why we are proud to build on our existing expertise to partner with The Partnership and Union Pacific to provide young women the skills and experience needed to reach better economic opportunities to support themselves, their families and their communities.”

As of June 2023, Opportunity Works had served more than 1,600 young adults. Nearly 86% of the participants completed an internship and successfully moved on to school or work within six months of enrolling in the program. Additionally, 241 employers have participated in the program.

Cook County has allocated $15 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to The Partnership to create programs and services to support residents and businesses impacted by COVID-19, which allowed for the expansion of the Opportunity Works program. Last year, The Partnership expanded the program to include Opportunity Summer, which serves more than 200 interns in 7-week paid internships from June to August, working 25 hours a week.

For more information about Opportunity Summer, Opportunity Works and other Partnership youth programs, visit https://chicookworks.org/services/youth-programs/

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com.

About YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

Founded in 1876, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is a social enterprise committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. As a leading association among a national network of more than 200 YWCAs, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago impacts tens of thousands of individuals and families annually through comprehensive human services provided across the region. We are committed to advancing safety, wellness and belonging; unleashing youth and family potential; and driving economic equity. Among a diverse and broad portfolio of services, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is a leading provider in the areas of sexual violence and community violence support services, early childhood and childcare provider services, family support services, youth STEM programming, and economic empowerment services. A commitment to racial justice, equity, and inclusion runs through all YWCA activities. YWCA Metropolitan Chicago serves as a national incubator for innovative programming, outreach and engagement strategies, and is working at the individual and systems levels to create an inclusive marketplace where everyone thrives. The organization is an active member of many national, state, county and city-level coalitions, advocating for policies that center racial and gender equity to eliminate disparities, combat racism and support women and families. Learn more at www.ywcachicago.org or follow @ywcachicago.