Preparing Tomorrow's
Workforce Today
A recent Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) study concluded the most statistically significant indicator of a region’s economic prosperity is a skilled workforce. Education is one of the key drivers behind a highly skilled and diversified workforce, and Chicago is not only concentrated in terms of educational institutions, but offers leading programs to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s global opportunities.
The Chicago metropolitan statistical area is home to more than 140 public & private post-secondary educational institutions with a combined full-time enrollment of more than 650,000 students (including 65,000+ in the Chicago "Loop" alone). Every year, colleges and universities in the city of Chicago alone award more than 50,000 degrees including 25,300 bachelor's, 19,400 master's, and 4,000 doctoral degrees.
Among the leading institutions granting graduate & professional degrees in the Chicago area are two of the top MBA programs in the world:
Financial Times 2012 / The Economist 2012 MBA Global Rankings
- Booth School of Business, University of Chicago (#12/#1)
- Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (#16/#20)
Vibrant Downtown
- 140,000+ live in downtown Chicago
- 75% (age 25+) have bachelor’s degrees or higher—nearly 3 times the national average
- 36% (age 25+) have graduate degrees—more than 3.5 times the national average
- Chicago Loop is “the largest college town in Illinois,” with more than 65,000 students
Diverse Talent Pool
With a workforce of over 4 million spread across all major occupational groups, Chicago has the depth and variety of workforce to meet the needs of just about any business or industry.
In Chicago, firms that rely on their ability to keep recruiting the best and brightest from around the world can find the talent they need to maintain their edge in the global marketplace. From astrophysicists to procurement clerks, the Chicago area provides employers with one of the largest and most diverse talent pools in the country.
Many of Chicago’s college graduates choose to stay in the city after school. Here are 10 reasons why.
Workforce Development
A city’s educational opportunities and talent pool represent the keys to attracting business. Education and talent development is a top priority for Chicago’s business and government leaders, which have formed innovative partnerships including the Chicago Workforce Investment Council, which monitors over $300 million of public investment in education and workforce training, and Chicago Career Tech, an innovative workforce training initiative.
