20 Years of Workforce Development Month: 5 Ways to Protect Chicago’s Workforce Now
This September marks two decades since Workforce Development Month was first established by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. What started as a simple effort to bring visibility to the field has grown into a national recognition of the people and programs that help individuals build skills, connect with employers, and strengthen local economies.
For Chicago Jobs Council, this milestone is more than a celebration—it’s a reminder. The progress we’ve made over the last 20 years is now under threat. Equity protections are being rolled back, federal funding is becoming less reliable, and community-based organizations are being pushed to the margins.
That’s why, as we honor the contributions of workforce professionals everywhere, we are doubling down on our work here in Chicago: defending workforce development as essential infrastructure, uplifting CBOs as frontline partners, and pushing for the leadership our city needs to keep opportunity pathways strong.
Chicago’s workforce development system is facing unprecedented threats, but there are concrete steps we can take together to protect pathways to opportunity. Here are five urgent ways to safeguard our workforce and the communities it serves.
1. Defend Workforce Development as Essential Infrastructure Workforce programs are not optional. They are human-centered economic infrastructure that fuel growth, reduce unemployment, and stabilize families. Policymakers and funders must treat the workforce the same way they treat roads and bridges: as critical to economic mobility.
2. Protect and Uplift Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) CBOs deliver culturally relevant, trusted services that large institutions cannot replicate. Funding shifts that sideline CBOs are attacks on equity. Protecting these frontline partners ensures local solutions remain strong.
3. Stand Firm Against Equity Rollbacks Rescinding Executive Orders and weakening the EEOC undermine DEIA commitments. Chicago must remain committed to equity-focused hiring, training, and investment strategies that close gaps rather than widen them.
4. Advocate for a Chief Workforce Officer Fragmentation in Chicago’s workforce system weakens outcomes. A Chief Workforce Officer would align city policies with community realities, ensuring resources are coordinated and responsive to shifting needs.
5. Support Intermediary Advocacy and Leadership CJC plays a unique role in translating federal and state shifts into local strategies, convening partners, and defending workforce investments. Supporting this advocacy is essential to keeping the system strong for families and employers.
Workforce development is under attack—but together, we can protect it. Chicago Jobs Council is calling on policymakers, employers, funders, and community partners to recognize workforce development as essential infrastructure. Join us in defending and strengthening our workforce system. More information to come when we release the full landscape report.
