Cara Plus

Intentional collaboration across organizations and sectors was a major theme of this year’s Chicagoland Workforce Development Symposium. As Kathleen Caliento, Ph.D., our President & CEO, shared: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." We learned from employers and higher education institutions like Aon, Accenture, and City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College, who are coming together to create unique apprenticeship programs that serve as on-ramps into great careers. We also learned how employers and community-based organizations are looking at the changes in our workforce, specifically anticipating a decrease in labor force participation and families remaining smaller in size. Much gratitude for our fellow panelists scaleLIT and Skills for Chicagoland's Future and everyone who made the Chicagoland Workforce Development Symposium possible. We are always fired up to be part of conversations and collective solutions that empower our city’s job seekers. #Collaboration #LetsGetToWork #WorkforceDevelopment #InclusiveEconomy

Join us this afternoon! #LetsGetToWork

Elaine Ross and Molly Verghese were in Denver last week presenting at the National Reentry Workforce Collaborative (NRWC)'s annual conference alongside Lisa Cohn Durkin from Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Beth Avery from National Employment Law Project. The team led a session on empowering reentry workforce practitioners to effectively engage employers and guide them along the fair chance employer journey. In addition to hosting our breakout session, we were busy learning from so many incredible organizations and heard from people with such a breadth of experience and passion for the work. Big thanks to powerhouses like Khalil Halim, Jac Rivers, Nan Gibson, Monique Williams, Harris Rollinger, Ashley Furst, Noella Sudbury, and so many more. While we know there is much more headway we need to make locally and nationally to change our policies and systems, it was hopeful to see so many key players rolling up their sleeves to change the landscape and expand opportunities for individuals impacted by the justice system. #LetsGetToWork #FairChance #FairChanceHiring #InclusiveEconomy #NRWC2024

Liana Bran was in Denver this week representing Cara Chicago and Cara Plus at the Human Potential Summit! With a focus on reimagining the future of work and learning, this conference brought together leaders of all sectors who are creating opportunities for every person’s talent to shine. A few key takeaways include: Scott Pulsipher of Western Governors University kicked off the convening by sharing how opportunity is abundant, though not equally accessible, and only expands as more people get to participate. Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedIn, spoke on his optimism about AI and how it will give us the opportunity to focus on true core capabilities: curiosity, compassion, creativity, communications, and courage. And finally, Taylor McLemore, Founder of the Human Potential Summit, ended the convening by uplifting the talents of people who are skilled through alternative routes (STARS): “STARS are not a problem to solve, they are problem solvers.” What an invigorating few days connecting with and learning from new peers and longtime friends like Maria Flynn of Jobs for the Future (JFF), Bridget Altenburg of Skills for Chicagoland's Future, and Sara Wasserteil. Here’s to building an inclusive economy centered on everyone’s human potential! #LetsGetToWork #InclusiveEconomy #WorkforceDevelopment

Anthony Daniels is one of many colleagues who found BMO through the BMORE program, an initiative that breaks barriers to help create career opportunities within the banking and financial industry. In collaboration with community partners like Cara Chicago and Skills for Chicagoland's Future, we’re connecting members of our communities to a future in banking. #BMOGrowTheGood

Last week, Ellen Sauter, M.A. (MSW) and Cara Klyn took the stage at The Manufacturing Institute - MI's Workforce Summit in Minneapolis. The team unpacked strategies for filling critical talent needs by building relationships between workforce development organizations and the manufacturing industry. We loved sharing The AdvoKit, our toolkit for creating strong employment partnerships, and examining how Cara Chicago used the toolkit's principles to build trusted relationships with manufacturers like Chicago's Freedman Seating Company. Big thanks to everyone who made #MFGWorkforce24 possible! To download The AdvoKit, visit our website at https://lnkd.in/garSKwxw. #LetsGetToWork #WorkforceDevelopment #InclusiveEconomy

🚨 Don't miss our upcoming Fair Chance Hiring Information Session with Cara Plus next Thursday, October 24 at 12P🚨 Our cohort program is designed to work with employers, meet you where you are, and support you on your journey to reach this untapped talent pool that encompasses 1 in 3 working Americans. Research supports they are likely to be some of your most loyal employees if you give them the opportunity to join your team. Hear from our cohort leaders Stephanie Dolan and Liana Bran directly as well as a past participant! 🚨 Register here: https://lnkd.in/g_Cx4Tfk 🚨 #FairChanceHiring #SecondChanceHiring #Chicago #Employers #Jobs #Hiring #Retention #TalentAcquisition #BusinessUNusual

It has been an exhilarating couple of days at the National Fair Chance Hiring Conference, centered around diverse groups ideating on how we advance policy and practice in fair chance hiring. Here are some of our favorite takeaways: 💡 We can’t make decisions about fair chance hiring without people with lived experience in the room. 💻 Employers need to look at the actual research around risk and benefits of fair chance hiring. It’s not what they think: the benefits far outweigh any risk. 👏 “No talent pool is free,” meaning we must invest in upskilling our fair chance workforce. We were also honored to have our President & CEO Kathleen Caliento, Ph.D. take the stage with fair chance champions Jeff Brown of Brown's Super Stores, Inc., Amelia Burke-Garcia of NORC at the University of Chicago, Awesta Sarkash, M.P.S. of Small Business Majority, Ken O. of The Just Trust, and Joeann Walker of ConEd. Thank you to NORC at the University of Chicago, the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, and the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago for hosting one of our favorite conferences of the year. #LetsGetToWork #FairChanceHiring #InclusiveEmployment #WorkforceDevelopment

Looking to diversify your talent pool? Fill open positions with untapped talent? Increase retention? Join Corporate Coalition Fair Chance Hiring Program Director Stephanie Dolan and Cara Plus Director of Expansion Strategy Liana Bran to learn more about our Fair Chance Hiring Cohort. Attendees will learn more about the nine-month program where participants receive ongoing support as they dive into their company-specific talent practices, discuss concerns and experiences in a trusting environment, and learn from experts and other companies exploring fair chance strategies. Join the 14 companies and 59 employees have already participated in this growing initiative. What's holding you back? #FairChanceHiring #FairChance #SecondChanceHiring #Opportunity #Access #Diversity #Equity #Workforce #Retention #UntappedTalent #Chicago #BusinessUNusual