Chicagoland Chamber Apprenticeship Program
The Chamber of Commerce Apprenticeship Program (CoCAP) provides one year apprenticeship opportunities to City Colleges of Chicago students at small and mid-sized Chicagoland companies.
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Hire an apprentice now for half the cost.
Participating companies gain access to local, diverse, and qualified talent who are more likely to remain loyal to their place of employment and receive 50% reimbursement for the cost of apprentices’ salaries. Students receive support services from our partners at One Million Degrees and tuition assistance, which helps to create a pathway to full-time employment. This is part of the Chamber’s ongoing commitment to continually provide support, investments, and resources to meet the workforce needs of today and tomorrow.
Company Benefits
- Half the cost: One-to-one cash match for the apprentice’s salary + benefits for one year.
- Diverse talent pool: Access to a diverse, productive, and highly motivated talent pool spanning all colleges within the City Colleges of Chicago system.
- Simplified recruiting: City Colleges team will help structure open positions into an apprenticeships, and then recruit students who are taking relevant coursework. The company will interview and make the final decision about who gets hired.
- Successful candidates: Through our partnership with One Million Degrees, student-apprentices will receive ongoing professional development and mentoring to maximize their success.
- Building your talent pool: You can help develop and train someone who will be more likely to remain loyal to your company for a long time.
Company Requirements
- Company must be a member of the Chicagoland Chamber with a physical location in the State of IL
- Apprentice must be a regular w-9 employee
- Company must offer a competitive salary for a minimum of 20 hours of work per week
- Company must offer a pathway to full-time employment for apprentices who successfully complete the program
- Company must work with One Million Degrees to mitigate and/or address student-apprentice performance issues and conduct quarterly performance reviews and check-ins
- Company must allow apprentices to participate in professional development conducted by One Million Degrees during work hours
Start the process now and hire an apprentice for half the cost.
If you have any questions about the Apprenticeship Program or want to learn more please email us at cocap@chicagolandchamber.org.
Funding for this program is made available through a generous grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Funding is limited and is provided on a first come, first served basis.