City Colleges of Chicago Opens Education Workforce Center

“Supporting educators is important because it directly impacts student success by ensuring teachers feel valued, have the resources they need to teach, and are able to maintain their well-being, which in turn leads to better student outcomes and retaining that teacher,” said Dr. Shawn Jackson, president of Harry S Truman College. “When teachers are supported, we all win.”

The early child care sector has lost thousands of workers since the pandemic, with many day care centers closing. In addition, many organizations that provide early care and education services have shared that it is difficult to find qualified staff to fill the many vacancies. Many current educators are leaving the profession due to ‘burnout,’ with some citing low wages as the reason for leaving the profession altogether (source: National Women’s Law Center).

The Education Workforce Center will start with tools for education professionals in early childhood (birth to pre-school) and grow to support grammar school educators, high school educators, and more. The EWC will be free and open to educators through an application process. The project is supported by a $900,000 grant that Truman College received from the McCormick Foundation.

“The impact educators have on young children lasts a lifetime, and that’s why this center is vital,” said Sandy  De León, executive director of the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship. “The EWC will also be a place where educators can support one another and build community, which are critical for them to flourish and for the retention of educators.”

The launch of the EWC took place on December 4, 2024, at Harry S Truman College, 1145 West Wilson Avenue in Chicago.

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Harry S Truman College is a comprehensive community college that offers credit class, continuing education classes, and free Illinois High School Diploma preparation classes and ESL classes—supporting students on their way to their educational and career goals. It is City Colleges’ center for excellence in education, human, and natural sciences, giving students the opportunity to become the best teachers by learning from the best teachers.

City Colleges of Chicago is the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity—empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city. Learn more about City Colleges of Chicago at www.ccc.edu or call 773-COLLEGE.

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