Education and Workforce Development

The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council, through specific projects and policy advocacy, seeks to develop of a world-class education system linked to careers in high-performance manufacturing. Our work in education and workforce development is guided by the recommendations of the 2001 report by the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Center for Labor and Community Research, Creating a Manufacturing Career Path System in Cook County.

The report calls for a workforce development system that creates defined career paths based on industry-recognized skill standards and credentials to:

• Enable job seekers to identify the type of education and training they need to access good careers;


• Help training providers and educators design industry-specific curricula around the latest technologies and skills in demand by employers;


• Enable companies to find job seekers who have the skills required to do the job.

The CMRC has also identified a set of bench marks for a world-class, post-secondary manufacturing education. You can read the report online.

The CMRC’s education partners are:

• Austin Polytechnical Academy


• Center for Polytechnical Education (website coming soon)


• Chicago Academy for Advanced Technology


• Chicago Jobs Council


• College of Lake County - WPDI


• District 214 Community Education


• Industrial Technology and Management, Illinois Institute of Technology


• Small Schools Workshop


• South Suburban College


• Southland Education Watch


• U-46 School District