Program could help CPS grads land city jobs

By Kate Thayer, Chicago Tribune reporter

September 30, 2012

Graduates of Chicago Public Schools could have an advantage landing interviews for jobs with the city, whether it be tree trimming or fighting fires.

Under a new initiative announced Saturday by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office, the Department of Human Resources will make sure CPS graduates are at least 20 percent of the job applicants they refer to city department managers.

But the department managers must first specify that they want the CPS graduate preference applied to their pool of applicants, said city spokeswoman Caroline Weisser.

And the program does not guarantee the grads will get the job, Weisser said.

"But it provides them a leg up in that process," she said.

Emanuel's office touted the program as a way to discourage CPS students from dropping out of school. The CPS graduation rate has been on the rise in recent years, peaking last year at 60.6 percent.

"From cradle to career ? we are committed to helping our students succeed every step of the way," Emanuel said in a press release.

The program ? which applies to any city job ? is modeled after an initiative that applies to U.S. military veterans.

Like the veteran program, managers who supply a list of criteria to human resources when seeking job applicants would say whether they want the CPS grad preference program applied, Weisser said. They would then consider that detail along with such other factors as college degrees or special skills.

Weisser said the program applies to any CPS graduate, not just recent grads. It's unclear how many CPS graduates already hold city jobs, although Weisser said that figure will now be tracked.

CPS head Jean-Claude Brizard lauded the city initiative in a press release.

"We are encouraged by this step taken by the city to encourage our students to strive each day and work towards their diploma," Brizard said.

kthayer@tribune.com

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-chicago-cps-hires-20120930,0,3202075.story?track=rss

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