Meeting the Moment: Protecting and Planning
Chicago’s workforce development ecosystem is under strain.
Federal policies introduced in 2025—such as rollbacks of equity protections, administrative restructuring, and the reorientation of funding priorities—are quietly reshaping how workforce organizations operate, and limiting resources to deliver services. While headlines focus on politics and budget battles, on the ground in Chicago, the stakes are high and immediate: fewer protections for equity-focused programs, delayed grants, funding reductions, dismantled apprenticeship support from labor unions, and a stripped away safety net for those who need it most.
The Workforce Report, developed in collaboration with Compass Pro Bono, to be released next week by Chicago Jobs Council, offers a timely and comprehensive analysis of a new reality for our sector. Through policy analysis, labor market data, and interviews with workforce leaders, the report paints a clear picture: Chicago is at a crossroads. We can remain paralyzed by fear of the unknown or we can plan for a future we co-design together.
What We Found
Some of the most urgent findings include:
Equity protections have been rolled back, making it harder to defend programs serving people of color, returning citizens, and others who’ve been historically excluded.
Federal funding is harder to access and slower to distribute, hitting small and community-based organizations hardest.
Apprenticeship pipelines are weakening, especially in healthcare, construction, and public employment.
A national push for industrial reskilling is leaving out programs not tied to reindustrialization, putting youth, women, and soft-skills programs at risk.
Employers are becoming more risk-averse as AI and economic instability reshape how they hire.
And across every interview, one sentiment came through: uncertainty is paralyzing progress.
What We Must Do
Despite these challenges, the report also makes one thing clear: CJC has been thoughtful, listening to partners and constituents and ready to take action.
As a trusted intermediary, we are uniquely positioned to unify fractured efforts, translate federal policy into action, and advocate for inclusive funding and programs that reflect the real needs of our communities.
We must:
Track and interpret policy shifts so local orgs aren’t left guessing.
Protect equity-driven services through coordinated messaging and advocacy.
Build cross-sector partnerships that connect jobs, housing, healthcare, and education.
Help providers prepare jobseekers for the workforce challenges AI and automation will bring.
Understand the demands of our economy
This moment demands courage, clarity, and coordination.
We’re Calling on You
The workforce system is shifting. Let’s ensure it shifts in the right direction for all people.
We invite policymakers, funders, providers, jobseekers and employers to read the Compass Pro Bono Report and join us in shaping what comes next for the Chicagoland economy.
