Category Archives: Employment

Chicago Law Clinic Helps Women Entrepreneurs

The DePaul Business Law Clinic at DePaul University is offering female entrepreneurs legal advice, business acumen, and industry guidance at an affordable price. For $500 per semester, women entrepreneurs across Chicago are getting the help they need to thrive and succeed.

Female law students are paired with the business owners and offer direct consultation and legal aid.

The clinic was founded by Julie D. Lawton and says the program is “mutually beneficial for businesses and students. For our students, this is a wonderful, dynamic and interdisciplinary experience, and for our clients, they are able to obtain this holistic support. Not only legally, but also technically. “

The clinic has offered this service for the past four years. All business types and sizes are encouraged to work with the DePaul law students.

Chicago Businesses Get Boost in New Program

Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new grant program together with the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. This initiative paves the way for nonprofits to assist small businesses that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Small Business Support Program has allocated $2.7 million to 41 NGOs that will offer targeted assistance to Chicago’s small business owners and innovators. Through the program, a variety of different services will be offered including free counseling, coaching, media campaigns, and press coverage. Funding will also be provided for public outdoor activities to showcase small businesses, like “Live Love Shop Rogers Park.”

“[This program] provides an important opportunity to lay the foundation for an enduring, equitable, and inclusive economy. I am grateful to BACP and its partners for bringing this program to life, which truly serves as the next step in our ongoing commitment to revitalizing our businesses and empowering the communities they serve.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot

This small-business boost is a continuation of previous efforts to revive this segment of the economy; the Chi Biz Strong $22 million grant offered financial relief and a $2.3 million grant helped eateries set up outdoor dining.

Fifth Third Bank Invests in Chicago

Fifth Third Bank has announced a plan to invest $20 million in South Chicago, the defunct steel town abandoned by the departure of the South Works steel plant in 1992.

The investment plan includes $2 million in funding for grassroots efforts and $18 million in financing for residential and business loans. Fifth Third’s efforts, in partnership with Claretian Associates, are part of a three-year revitalization scheme to revive the area and correct extended periods of disinvestment and under-funding.

Chicago and Microsoft Partner for Digital Training

On October 1, Microsoft announced a new partnership with Chicago to provide free digital skills training courses for at least 300,000 residents.

 “Accelerate Chicago,” is meant to boost the employability of Chicago citizens who either lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or those who have few digital skills at all. It will also offer “cross-training” for those looking to pivot their career paths. Accelerate includes free courses on several Microsoft applications and programs.

Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, explained that the new program will allow the city to remedy the “socioeconomic fallout” of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering participants “good-paying, sustainable” jobs.

“We have an important opportunity to use this moment to better the lives of those who were struggling long before this pandemic ever struck.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, at a news conference with Microsoft President Brad Smith.

Accelerate has already been launched in New York, Atlanta, Houston, and Louisville, Kentucky.

For Rent: Chicago Office Leasing Up Again

Chicago office space

Entering Q3 of 2021, office rentals in downtown Chicago are beginning to fill up again. As businesses determine protocols for hybrid work models, more and more companies are seeking office space.

Chicago’s downtown firms leased 2.2 million square feet in Q3, nearly 20% more than 2020. Nevertheless, more than 20% of office space in downtown Chicago remained available for rent, mostly because tenants aren’t expecting to operate at full capacity and are not looking for big spaces. Some industry experts say that many of the leases being signed are for companies that gave up their rentals for the majority of 2020 and the beginning of this year. Lockdowns and cost-saving measures had these businesses working remotely; now they are looking to reopen an office and maintain a downtown presence.

The cost of rent also increased by 0.7%, with an average of $40.70 per square foot.

Balancing the Tech Workforce in Chicago

As more and more investors ask companies to share the information reported to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, the realities of workforce representation of minorities and women are gaining new attention. For many firms and businesses, including those in Chicago, increasing participation by Black and Latino workers in tech jobs is a top priority.

Diversity in Chicago Tech Jobs

Google, for example, has 1,200 workers in its Chicago offices; African Americans make up 2.2 percent of technical jobs. Latinos make up only 4.8 percent of these jobs in the tech-giants national employment base.

The executives at Chicago firms say they have all seen the benefits of diversity in their staffing schemes. A healthy sharing of opinions, constructive debates, and meaningful exchange of best practices are only some of the positives that come along with expanding the hiring base. Unfortunately, not all Chicagoans are optimistic. Carlton Gates, an African American recruiter for Yum! Brands based in Chicago, and a former employee of Oracle and Google, says the tech-verse has been “talking about diversity for 20 years, and not a single thing has changed.” According to Gates, there is a tribal vibe on engineering teams, where little to no cultural or ethnic crossover happens.

With all this in mind, local companies with open tech vacancies are looking for new resources and pipelines to identify talent. They are also taking measures to modify the interview processes to abate bias and address issues that might be unique to minority populations.

Diversity in Chicago Tech Jobs

Chicago is Reopening

Chicago is open for business! After 18 months of Covid-19 concerns, Chicago’s museums, restaurants, and attractions are back.

Businesses across Chicago are reopening.

For many of the diners and eateries in the Loop, the reopening has been a nuanced blessing. Their primary customer base- employees and visitors of local companies- have not yet fully returned to the office. They need a steady stream of customers to supplement the delivery and take-out business that has kept them going thus far. And those professionals who are beginning to head back to the office favor these establishments for a quick coffee break,  lunchtime, or post-work meal.

Eateries and attractions in and out of the Loop are eager to welcome customers.

With many new restaurants to check out across Chicago, there are countless options for a long-overdue meet-up with friends, a business lunch with colleagues, or a romantic date night.

Local Drivers Wanted

While many are still grappling with unemployment, there is some good local  news.  The Illinois Central School Bus LLC is hiring!

Now that kids are going back to school, they  need bussing.  According to the Contract Manager at the Illinois Central School Bus company, Cynthia Sosnowski, the firm is looking for between 40 and 50 drivers.  The good news is, you do not even need a bus license to apply, just a driver’s license.  The bus company will do the rest of the work by investing in you and paying for the necessary training and license.

Of this commitment to the people, Sosnowski said:

“I want to see people happy and making money. I mean, the holidays are coming. Let’s bring some joy to this crazy unprecedented time.”

Salary is between $14-21 per hour.

In related news, seven new enterprise zones (region which has gained special tax breaks/public assistance in order to strengthen economic development) have been designated by The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Such zones are also meant to bolster job growth and investment, in particular in communities that are “economically underserved.” Following the 2019 investment of $657m+, approximately 38,000 jobs were retained and 4,570 new jobs, created.

As DCEO Director and Enterprise Zone Board Chairperson Erin B. Guthrie said:

“Illinois remains open for business, and we are committed to supporting our economically depressed communities with tools proven to attract investment to all corners of our state.  With the renewal of these seven enterprise zones, we look forward to continuing our work with local officials to support new investments and economic growth across our downstate communities.”

Local Job Creation During Tough Times

There are so many industries that have suffered with the impacts of the coronavirus.  Many thousands have lost their jobs.  Here we take a look at some of the industries that are slowly bouncing back.

While public transportation everywhere has definitely taken a hit during the coronavirus pandemic as people self-isolate and avoid crowds, there is some good news for the industry.  The Chicago Transit Authority is working hard in this area and has recently created more jobs in the industry as the city slowly re-opens.

Currently, the CTA is recruiting mechanics and bus drivers.   Plus, bus operators are also welcome to apply.  The CTA has not had vacancies for the latter position since before the stay at home order went into place in the state of Illinois back in March.

Then there is the Green Era Renewable Energy and Urban Farming Campus which is seeking to build up the South Side of Chicago with job creation, renewable energy and fresh food.  The campus is getting some fiscal aid from the state in the form of $2 million via the Rebuild Illinois program.

This has helped it reach its goal of fundraising for the $32m project it is developing on the brownfield 9-acre land site.

O’Hare – The Chicago Neighborhood That’s Great for Business

When deciding on Chicago as one’s home, a number of considerations must be addressed. One of the most important ones for individuals aged 20-70 is business opportunities.  Being one of America’s largest cities however means that there are many options within its borders.  In this article we take a look at the O’Hare area – the location of the International Airport.

There are a lot of opportunities here for businesses and therefore employment vacancies are often high.  Why is O’Hare so popular for companies?  For those combining both urban and suburban employee sets, it makes sense.  Some of the firms that have recently moved into the area are U.S. Cellular and GlenStar, for this reason.  As a result, building proprietors are also working on enhanced contracts and facilities for their tenants.

It’s a good area also due to public transit access and having a Chicago address is always welcome.  But at the same time – given its location on the edge of the suburbs while being right by the country’s most active airports – makes for a great combination.  Transportation access gives businesses an upper hand vis-à-vis talent recruitment for corporations. And for those professionals who have to travel internationally on a regular basis, what could be better than being right by the airport?