Ambitions Put to Work: An Alum shares her Story
My name is Nia and I am 24 years old. I was first introduced to Tami at the AACF agency when I was just a junior at Trinity High School. Working with Tami, my friend and I were placed at a retail store where we worked throughout the holiday season. Once our internship...
Poverty and Employment Insecurity in Chicago for BIPOC and How We Can Help
Over the past 40 years, poverty among the inhabitants of U.S. inner cities has remained stubbornly resistant to public policy prescriptions. Government research has sought to explain urban poverty, with a wide variety of explanations put forward as the basis for...
A Young Woman’s Work History: No Job Beneath Her
Dominique was referred to AACF by her high school science teacher, Ms. Thompson, at the Austin Career Education Center located in Chicago's Westside, when she went to her with the statement: "I need a job." Ms. Thompson let her know about AACF's job training and job...
Workforce Development and Online Learning
Many of us grew up hearing that we needed to study hard, go to college and get a good job. That might have been true in the 20th century, but things have changed over the past two decades—and not necessarily for the better. Today, the average college student has about...
Can High School Completion Programs Benefit the Community?
Not everyone is lucky enough to earn a high school diploma, which can significantly impact their ability to get a job and earn a living wage. When you’re working full-time or more without good compensation, it’s even harder to take the time to work toward your degree....