Archive

Cook County Works, along with the Cook County Workforce Investment Board, is committed to assisting the residents of suburban Cook County through the administration of the federally supported  Workforce Investment Act  program which provides residents with employment training, placement, and educational opportunities.

Cook  County Works offers important job training services and programs to assist residents in the search for employment and  helps them to enhance existing job skills.  Labor market and Illinois Skills Match assessment services are also available in the Illinois Employment Training Centers/One Stop Centers.

Cook County Strengthens Commitment to Summer Jobs Program
One Summer Plus provides opportunities for 700 young people at 13 Chicago schools

Mayor Emanuel, President Preckwinkle Announce Summer Jobs and Activities to Keep Chicago Youth Safe this Summer.   

New Website Details Jobs and Programs Offered by City, Cook County, Sister Agencies and Non-Profits.   Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle announce One Summer Chicago, a partnership with Cook County, City departments and sister agencies, community groups and non-profits, will provide summer jobs and educational and recreational opportunities to keep youth safe this summer.  Click here for more details on One Summer Chicago

Cook County Youth Jobs Initiative - Business Owners
Make a commitment, join the initiative, and provide hope to our youth!

Ordinance Introduced to Merge City, County Workforce Development Programs 

View full Release

Legal Notice - Workforce Investment Act of 1998, as amended (WIA) Plan Submission and Public Hearing Notice

As the result of the reconfiguration of LWIA 7 into the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership effective July 1, 2012, all Cook County Workforce Investment Board meetings scheduled after June 30, 2012 have been cancelled.   Click here for revised schedule.

President Preckwinkle addresses the 31st Annual Meeting of the Chicago Jobs Council

Karin Norington-Reaves, Director, Cook County Works, joins the stage to help answer questions

President Preckwinkle poses with the current and former leadership of the Chicago Jobs Council

President Preckwinkle speaks to the Chicago Jobs Council - View Full Story

Commit to Cook

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was joined by Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin and representatives of the Chicago Auto Show  to launch the “Commit to Cook” campaign encouraging residents to support Cook County businesses while engaging the business community to spur economic development. President Preckwinkle laid out an ambitious goal for the “Commit to Cook” campaign: 2,500 new jobs in 2012.   Please visit the website at: www.CommitToCook.com

Success Stories

Cook County Works clients are proud of their success.  Read their stories.

"It Take A Village......"

Renika Johnson Success Story
Renika thanks Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center, Cook County Works, Employment & Employer Services, Inc.,

   and A&D Property Services, Inc.

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle with Renika

Illona Sheffey-Rawlings, CCW Special Assistant      for Legal Affairs Renika Johnson, Intern Karin Norington – Reaves, CCW Director

Renika Johnson, Intern Andrea Burrell CCW Executive Assistant (Mentor)

Click here for a link full of  individual success stories.

Cook County Works Team

It takes a team for everything to get done at Cook County Works.

Click here to meet a few of our key players.

Cook County Works Public  Hearing – From Poet to Cook County Works

On April 18, 2012, Karin Norington-Reaves, Director of Cook County Works, made a presentation at  a public hearing, called and chaired by Workforce, Job Development and Training Opportunities  Committee Chairman Earlean Collins of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.  This  presentation, taken directly from the director’s report to the Commissioners entitled “A Look  Back:  P.O.E.T. to Cook County Works”, recounts the transition from the organization previously  known as the President’s Office of Employment Training (POET) to the present Cook County Works  (CCW).  

View video of hearing:

Prior to the transition to Cook County Works, the former POET had been put on high-risk status with the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Director Norington-Reaves’ report (the entirety of which can be found on the Cook County Works website) highlighted no less than 22 accomplishments that marked the transition process. Most notable among the CCW deliverables included are: the $25 million that had to be spent or risk being returned to the State in less than 6 months, highlighted accomplishments in a number of areas: Administration, Fiscal, Program and Communications.

Public comments were effusive with positives about the transition. Workforce Investment Board members, past and present, spoke of the newly-streamlined and more accountable Board; service providers commented on the greater responsiveness and level of assistance they are now receiving; and, Patrick Campbell, Regional Workforce Manager in the Office of Employment and Training for DCEO, spoke of the improved relationship with Cook County Works. Director Norington-Reaves recognized greater challenges lay ahead but expressed confidence that her leadership team was ready to address future needs.

Public Meeting Notices

Posted 3/2/2012

The next meeting of the Cook County Workforce Investment Board Executive Committee meeting is scheduled to take place on

Thursday, March 8, 2012, 8:00 a.m. at the following location:

Cook County Works – Suite 2860

Conference Room
69 West Washington
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Agenda
 

Posted 2/3/2012

The next meeting of the Workforce Investment Board is scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 9, 2012, 8:00 a.m. at:

Prairie State University
The Heritage Community Room – Room 1318
202 South Halsted
Chicago Heights, Illinois
Agenda
 

Directions:
From the north: Drive south on I-94 to I-80 west exit. Follow I-80 west about two miles to Halsted Street south exit (Route 1). Take Halsted Street south about three miles to the campus. There is a small toll charge to exit at Halsted. From the north/west: Take the Tri-State Tollway (294) south to I-80/94 east. Follow I-80/94 east about one mile to Halsted Street south exit (Route 1). Take Halsted Street south about three miles to the PSC campus. From the south: Drive north on I-57 to the Vollmer Road exit. Follow Vollmer Road east about five miles to the PSC campus on your right. From the east: Follow I-80 west to Halsted Street south exit (Route 1). Take Halsted Street south about three miles to the campus.

Posted 1/6/2012

The next meeting of the Workforce Investment Board is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 12, 2012, 8:00 a.m. at:
Cicero Worknet Center
2138 South 61st Court, 3rd Floor, Cicero IL
 

Agenda
 

Posted 12/16/2011

The Cook County Workforce Investment Board will hold a special meeting on Wednesday December 21, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. at the following location:

Illinois Department of Employment Security Office
16845 South Halsted
Harvey, Illinois
Agenda
 

Posted 12/2/2011

The next meeting of the Cook County Workforce Investment Board will take place on Thursday, December 8, 2011, 8:00 a.m. at the following location:

UPS Leadership Center

16655 Van Dam Road
South Holland, Illinois
 

Meeting Agenda

Posted 9/12/2011
 

At the request of Board Chairman Charles Jenrich, a Special Cook County Workforce Investment Board Meeting is being called in order to approve the award of contracts for the 2011 Program Year. The planned date for this meeting is Friday, September 16, 2011 at 7:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at Oak Forest Hospital, which is located at: 

Oak Forest Hospital Human Service Building, 1st Floor
15900 S. Cicero Avenue
Oak Forest, IL 60452
 Agenda
 

Posted 9/8/2011
At the request of Cook County Workforce Investment Board Executive Committee Chairman Charles Jenrich, please be advised that the Cook County Workforce Investment Board Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8:00 a.m.   The location for the meeting is:

Cook County Works Conference Room – Suite 2860
George W. Dunne Building
69 West Washington
Chicago, Illinois 60602

Agenda for Executive Committee Meeting

 Karin Norington-Reaves, Director Cook County Works, discusses:
Using data to Drive Innovation and Workforce Development. Presented and moderated by: Chapin Hall, University of Chicago
 

3/6/2012 - Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle introduced former IL Governor Jim Thompson as the 2012 Jobs for Youth Chicago "Legacy" Honoree.  Click here to view photos, courtesy of Ashley Venerable, Errol Dunlap Photography.

Commit to Cook

Financial Literacy Workshops Cook County Works and Bank of America Partnership Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, together with Bank of America President Tim Maloney and Cook County Works Director Karin Norington-Reaves, teamed to highlight their ongoing collaboration providing unemployed and underemployed residents the tools they need to find work and develop critical need skills in this difficult economy. New workshops, provided through the County’s One-Stop Employment Training Centers will be available to the public as noted in our table.

Cook County Works joins JPMorganChase Illinois Mentoring Partnership Luncheon

An Illinois Mentoring Partnership will help our state’s children and young adults get the help and support they need to reach their full potential and become productive citizens. Together with Cook County Works, this Partnership can provide future generations with personal encouragement, career development, and life skills training that will help them secure good paying jobs and allow them to make a positive contribution to the economic and civic vitality of our community.

Stephen Powell, Executive Director, Mentoring USA; Karin Norington-Reaves, Director, Cook County Works

Willem Kooyker, Chairman, MENTOR; Mark Anderson, Director of U.S. Local Markets & Chicago, Accenture; Karin Norington-Reaves, Director, Cook County Works; Daniel Bassill, President, Tutor-Mentor Connection

Willem Kooyker, Chairman, MENTOR; Mark Anderson, Director of U.S. Local Markets & Chicago, Accenture; Karin Norington-Reaves, Director, Cook County Works; Daniel Bassill, President, Tutor-Mentor Connection; Virgil Jones, President, Link Unlimited

Another Partnership

Cook County Works  Partners with Bank of America to Provide Financial Literacy Training to County Residents

In order to more fully address the needs of unemployed and underemployed residents, Cook County Works has enlisted the help of Bank of America to teach workshops on addressing financial issues that arise during periods of economic stress. Bank of America has trained a corps of 86 volunteers who will be facilitating these workshops in Cook County Works’ One-Stop employment training centers in Cicero, Chicago Heights, Maywood and Oak Forest, Illinois. Topics covered in the workshops will include: saving, budgeting and money management after a financial setback. The workshops are scheduled to commence bi-weekly, from October 18 through November 30, 2011. Please download our flyer for details.     For more information, call Marion Batey, Cook County Works, Public Information Officer at 312-603-0270.

Requests for Proposals for Program Year 2011 
 

• Question and Answer Response Document - posted 8/15/2011 Please Note: Cook County Works reserves the right to change anticipated timelines throughout the RFP process as may be needed for administrative purposes.
• RFP Information Session - Center Operators and Affiliates - posted 8/5/2011
• RFP Information Session - Youth Delegate Agencies - posted 8/5/2011

Cook County Works is pleased to issue the following Requests for Proposals for Program Year 2011.  Funding is available for the following services: Youth In and Out of School, Illinois workNet Center Operators (Adult & Dislocated Workers), and Illinois workNet Center Affiliates (Adult & Dislocated Workers). These RFPs represent a change in the County's workforce development service delivery model. All qualified entities are encouraged to apply after thoroughly reviewing the requirements

Cook County Works will hold Information Sessions for prospective applicants on Friday, August 5, 2011. For those seeking guidance on the WIA I-Y Youth application, the session will take place from 10:00 a.m. to Noon.   For those interested in providing services to WIA I-A and I-D clients as an Illinois workNet Center Operator or of Affiliate, the session will be held from 2:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m. Both sessions will be held at the George W. Dunne Administration Building, 69 W. Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602 in the 17th Floor Conference Room. More details are shown in the legal notice, posted below. Written questions can be directed to: ccwrfp.questions@cookcountyil.gov.

We look forward to identifying new partners that will enable us to ensure the effective delivery of employment and training services to Cook County residents. If you have any questions locating the application on-line, or have difficulty downloading the application(s), budget sheets or spreadsheets, please call, Anne Hogan at (312) 603-0203 or send an email to ccwrfp.questions@cookcountyil.gov. We will e-mail you a copy of any necesssary documents if you are having difficulty downloading them.

Legal Notice - July 26, 2011

Cook County Works (CCW) Center Operator RFP and Related Attachments 
 

CCW Center Operator RFP  - narrative

CCW Center Operator RFP  - packet

CCW Center Operator Forms

Budget Forms - Please send e-mail to ccwrfp.questions@cookcountyil.gov if you are having difficulty getting this link to download for you. It is an xls spreadsheet.  These forms are needed as part of your application.

CCW Center Operator Signature Pages

Cook County Works (CCW) Affiliate RFP and Related Attachments 
 

Affiliate RFP (pdf) - narrative

Affiliate RFP (pdf) - packet

Affiliate Forms

Budget Forms - Please send e-mail to ccwrfp.questions@cookcountyil.gov if you are having difficulty getting this link to download for you. It is an xls spreadsheet. These forms are needed as part of your application.

Affiliate Signature Pages

Cook County Works (CCW) Youth In and Out of School Services RFP and Related Attachments

Youth In and Out of School Services RFP - narrative

Youth In and Out of School Services RFP - packet

Youth Program Forms

Budget Forms - Please send e-mail to ccwrfp.questions@cookcountyil.gov if you are having difficulty getting this link to download for you. It is an xls spreadsheet. These forms are needed as part of your application.

View Meeting Agenda