September 5th Orientation with SPCDM’s Career Readiness Program

Construction Industry Service Corporation - www.cisco.org - 630.472.9411 - Dan Allen, Executive Director

CAREER FAIR A PARTNERSHIP SUCCESS



The August 11th Career Fair showed how the power of partnerships can have
a positive impact on the community as CISCO, St. Paul Church of God in Christ Community Development Ministries, Inc. and the Chicago Teachers Union joined forces to provide education on career opportunities to nearly 100 high school students and adults.

Trades representatives from the Automobile Mechanics Local 701, Bricklayers, Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers, Operating Engineers, Pipefitters, Plumbers and Teamsters provided educational hands-on demonstrations to the participants.

Many other organizations also took part in the activities of the day. The following organizations had exhibitors
and presenters on hand: Chicago Federation of Labor, Chicago Women in Trades, Illinois Dept. of Employment Security, Illinois Dept. of Transportation; Illinois State Tollway Authority, Secretary of State Jesse White’s Office, and the Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship.

Prior to the hands-on activities, a program overview highlighting several
speakers included Elder Kevin Anthony Ford, St. Paul Church; CTU Assistant to the President Audrey May; CTU Recording Secretary Michael Brunson; Gary Ellinger, Office of Apprenticeship (DOL); Elvis Martin, Black Contractors United; CISCO Executive Director Dan Allen, CISCO Education to Careers Director Johnetta Ryan, and Bishop Charles Mason Ford from St. Paul Church of God in Christ, who made the entire event possible by agreeing to host the event on the church campus.

A very special thank you goes out to Chicago Alderman
Pat Dowell - 3rd Ward, and to Jorge Ramirez, CFL President for their generous contributions to the Career Fair.

An additional special mention goes out to SPCDM and One Hope United for
providing counselors for the event.

Elder Kevin Anthony Ford, St. Paul Church of God in Christ, greets a table of participants, during the program overview.

CISCO Education to Careers Director Johnetta Ryan talks about the various trades and apprenticeship programs to the students.

Ray Koch, Carpenters Apprenticeship Program, helps one of the Career Fair
attendees learn the finer points of hammering together two pieces of a wooden toolbox.

Electrician apprentices (from left) Erik Voster, Tacarra Thompson and Jamaal
Johnson finish final display preparations.

Don Walker, Apprenticeship Coordinator for the Bricklayers, gives a lesson in using a trowel to Audrey May, Assistant to the President at the Chicago Teachers Union.

Plumbers Apprenticeship Training Director John Yock (right) shows the proper way to measure a pipe to an attendee while retired tradesman Joe Abergo (left) looks on.