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EducationA startling number of Illinoisans do not have the education they need to compete in today's labor market and earn living wages. Across racial groups, the highest level of unemployment occurs among those with the least education. Education level also directly correlates to wage levels. In 2004, those with a bachelor's degree or higher earned more than twice as much as those with less than a high school diploma. Furthermore, it is projected that jobs requiring postsecondary vocational training or greater will grow the fastest in the state.Yet, despite these job market realities, nearly half of Illinoisans over the age of 16 lack the basic literacy skills of a high school graduate; 39% between ages 25 and 54 have no postsecondary education; and almost 750,000 adults in Illinois lack a high school diploma or GED. In Chicago, nearly half of the public school students who began high school in 2000 did not earn a diploma by 2004. CJC believes that...All Illinoisans should have access to the secondary and postsecondary education they need to compete in the labor market and earn wages that will support them and their families. Additionally, the community college, adult basic education, and vocational education systems should be prepared to meet the needs of out-of school youth and adult learners who require additional education before they can find decent employment. That's why we...Advocate for the expansion of secondary, postsecondary, and vocational educational opportunities for disadvantaged job seekers by collaborating with our member organizations, Chicago Public Schools, the City Colleges of Chicago, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and other education stakeholders.
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