Preparing Chicagoland’s Next Workforce: Career in the Trades Orientation

by Michael Moriarty, NBCT

11/10/2021

Career Pathways

To continue to nurture the career pathways in Chicagoland and Illinois, HIRE360 and the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation are joining to present “Preparing Chicagoland’s Next Workforce” panel series discussing the successes and challenges for CTE in Chicagoland with CTE leaders, tradespersons, educators, and students.

The first webinar, “Career in the Trades Orientation” on Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm will focus on three themes:

What is today’s employer looking for in a potential intern/employee?
What does today’s employer find as weaknesses in today’s high school students?
What would today’s employer like for teachers to teach as a supplement to the school’s curriculum, increasing students’ chances of getting into an apprenticeship program, intern, or employment?

Featured Panelists:

Latisa Kindred has been a union Electrician for 26 years, and has taught Electricity to high school students for the last 14 years. Latisa has introduced over 1,000 students to the Electrical Construction Industry. Her former students have explored many avenues in Construction, and today have careers in Project Management, Estimating, and as union Trainees, Apprentices, and Journeymen.

Kina McAfee, Assistant Coordinator of the Mid-America Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice and Training Program at Elk Grove Village & Chicago, has worked as a Carpentry instructor for the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Apprentice and Training Program since 1995 and is currently an Assistant Coordinator for the program. She currently serves on the Board of Chicago Women in Trades and the City on the Hill Youth Foundation, as well as CWIT’s Policy Committee.

Ryan Utter is a Project Engineer with Clark Construction. After growing up in the Cicero and Joliet areas, Ryan joined the military and spent five years in the Army as an Engineer. After his military service, he moved back to Chicago to begin his civilian career and continue his education at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Our goal is to provide an outlet for CTE and STEM educators to learn what skills they need to incorporate into their instruction to promote career and technical jobs.

Educators who register for the Professional Development Ticket for the webinar can earn 2 ISBE professional development credits with attendance and successful completion of follow-up reflection assignment from the CTUF Quest Center for Professional Learning.

Please email michaelmoriarty@ctuf.org with any questions.

Preparing Chicagoland’s Next Workforce: Career in the Trades Orientation

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