By Shannon Holmes
April 28, 2003

A new hands-on training program, sponsored by the Chicago Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (MOWD) and the City Colleges of Chicago, provides out-of-work Chicagoans with the tools and instruction they need to find and keep well-paying jobs in manufacturing.

The Integrated System Technology (IST) program at Daley College prepares local dislocated workers for jobs as equipment operators and maintenance technicians, among other manufacturing positions, with an average starting salary of $15 an hour.

"As manufacturers use newer and more complex machinery, the demand for workers who can maintain and operate those machines has increased," said Mayor Richard M. Daley. "And the city is committed to helping Chicagoans learn the skills to fill those jobs."

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the IST program originally was expected to train more than 70 local dislocated workers over the next year, but the city now hopes to double that number. The first class of nine trainees began in January, and a new class of 11 began in March. The comprehensive ten-week curriculum was developed with the help of industry leaders such as Caterpillar and IBM. Students work at specialized learning stations, featuring industrial-grade equipment identical to that used in modern factories. The IST program also is offered at three community colleges; Elgin Community College in Elgin, Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills and Rock Valley College in Rockford.

The Mayor's Office of Workforce Development recruits displaced workers for the program and helps them find jobs after they-ve completed the course through an intensive job-development program at its five Chicago Workforce Centers.

"We-re capitalizing on this opportunity to provide Chicagoans specialized training that will lead not only to a job but to a well-paying career," explained MOWD Commissioner Jackie Edens. "We-re ensuring that workers receive relevant and transferable skills which have value in the workplace, as well as offering local employers a pool of qualified employees."

Daley noted that the manufacturing sector of the economy is often overlooked as a source of new jobs. "The conventional wisdom says manufacturing is declining in importance and no longer the place to go for a rewarding career. It says all the good jobs are in the service industries and information technology," he said.

"In fact, manufacturing is still strong in Chicago, and will be for many years to come. More than 600,000 people work in manufacturing in the Chicago area, and they produce almost $60 billion dollars worth of goods a year, more than any other metropolitan area. These manufacturing jobs are comparatively secure, there is a future for them, and they pay more than the national average.

"Manufacturing jobs have changed over the years. They no longer require repeating a single task throughout an eight-hour shift. Today, if you-re in manufacturing, you have to use your brains more than your muscles."

A report published by the Center for Labor and Community Research, part of the Chicago Federation of Labor, indicates that there are not enough qualified workers to fill the many new and replacement manufacturing positions created each year in the Chicago area. The author of the report, Dan Swinney, said, "This program is a definite step in the right direction. The joint efforts of MOWD and Daley College reflect the kind of partnership that will enable Chicago to lead the country in building a robust manufacturing economy."

Kevin Jones, regional manager of Comau Pico, a manufacturer of high tech automation equipment, added, "We find it very difficult to find skilled workers throughout the country. It is refreshing to see a program that helps fill that gap in Chicago."