The Virtual WPC is intensive, running for 11 months and requiring approximately 7-8 hours of training time per month — the time equivalent of dedicating one full work day a month. Consequently, the application asks you, your supervisor, and executive director/lead administrator (if applicable) to sign off on a statement of commitment stating you agree to dedicate this amount of time to the training and will receive 8 hours of work time to complete this training.

The 7-8 hours of each month will entail:

2 hours of self-paced learning activities on Canvas, a learning management system.

4 hours of interactive learning via two 2-hour live Zoom sessions with the whole cohort.

1 hour meeting with your peer group (1st half of the course) or your capstone team (2nd half of the course).

1 hour meeting with your mentor once per quarter.

If you are considering applying for this virtual credential, read the “Virtual WPC FAQs” to learn about the expectations and support for this training.

Participants in the Workforce Professionals Credential will develop the following core competencies throughout the program:

• Knowledge of the Workforce Development System

• Collaboration

• Use Data & Analytics

• Assessing, Preparing, and Connecting Job Seekers to Employment

• Employer Engagement

Each month will focus on a different topic. Previous sessions have included:

• Intro to the Workforce Development System

• Recruitment & Enrollment of Job Seekers

• Strength-Based Coaching

• Navigating Labor Market Information; Advocacy 101

• Employer Pitch Clinic; Making Referrals to Supportive Services

• Cultural Competency

• Retention in Your Program

• Making the Right Employment Match

• Engaging & Deepening Business Relationships

• Using Data to Improve Your Programming

• Creating a Positive & Values-Based Workforce Development Culture

If accepted into the Virtual Workforce Professionals Credential, a participation fee is required.

Chicago Jobs Council Member Rate: $800

Non-Member Rate: $1,200

We understand that organizations and individuals may be under different financial pressures due to COVID-19. Half of this amount will be due up front, and the remaining half will be due three months later.

Scholarships are available for the training program. Please complete this scholarship form: https://forms.gle/nt4VaXbaNf3HwAsLA

If you have any questions about the cost or our payment policies, please contact: Cheryl Hester, Capacity Building Administrator at Cheryl@cjc.net.

The application process is competitive since training cohorts are kept small (15-20 people) to maximize interaction among participants. Applicants’ responses to the narrative questions will be used as a primary consideration for determining acceptance into the Virtual WPC program.

In addition, Chicago Jobs Council has an explicit and expressed commitment to reduce racial and gender disparities. As such, we plan to prioritize participants of color, women, and individuals from organizations located in under-resourced neighborhoods.

To further ensure diverse representation in the cohort, the number of candidates accepted from a given organization will be limited. While more than one individual from an organization is welcome to apply, we will only accept one individual per organization or one individual per department if your organization has more than 50 staff. No more than two individuals will be accepted into the cohort from a single institution or organization.

Application Details:

The OFFICIAL application is this Google Form. Please note that Google Forms will not allow you to save your answers unless they are officially submitted all at once, so use this document to plan your answers before entering them into the Google Form.

Two optional informational webinars will be held:

• [DATE TBD]

• [DATE TBD]

Applications will be accepted through [DATE TBD].

Applicants will be notified of our decision by [DATE TBD].

Steps to be Considered for the Workforce Professionals Credential:

1. Fill out this Google Form.

2. Have your supervisor submit their Statement of Commitment: https://forms.gle/g4vQsKk8AGxdXfKeA

3. Have your ED submit their Statement of Commitment: https://forms.gle/8trMSdBS9cfq8Wf97