Announcements from Chicago's Workforce Development Funder Collaborative

Aligning Workforce Systems and Victory for Workers
Seeking Consultant to Help Align Workforce Technology

As part of Phase II of the Funder Alliance's Pro Path Fund we are releasing an RFQ today designed to select a consultant or partner to assist our Shared Platform Working Group. The Funder Alliance and its members are interested in investing in shared technology platforms that can be utilized by a wide variety of actors to exchange information and make connections to career pathways and career pathway programs. But before making any new investments the Funder Alliance wants to minimize duplication of effort and maximize consensus use of shared systems. The Shared Platform Working Group has been convened with these goals and consists of many state and regional workforce system leaders.

The RFQ released today will select a partner for the first steps of the Working Group, which are simply to understand the current usage of career pathway and career pathway program information systems in our region, and the potential usage of those systems if optimized. The consultant or partner selected would also make recommendations to the Working  Group about increasing alignment given the current state.

For full background and information about the RFQ, access the document itself  HERE , or visit the Funder Alliance  Procurement Page . 

For a full summary of the Phase II Plan for Pro Path Click Here. 
Victory for Illinois Temp Workers

On Friday Governor Rauner signed HB 690, the Responsible Job Creation Act, solidifying a great victory for Illinois Temp Workers. This bill will ban charges for background checks and drug testing by temp agencies, mandate return transportation from job sites, require that temp agencies place temp workers into direct-hire jobs and mandate that temp agencies report the racial and gender breakdown of workers they hire.

Check out this mini-documentary from NBC Universal about why this legislation is so needed in Illinois.

Congratulations to the worker centers that fought so hard for this policy, especially Warehouse Workers for Justice and the Chicago Workers' Collaborative, and to the Raise the Floor Alliance which makes them stronger through working together.   
Thanks so much for your interest in the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance. Follow us on social media: @Chi_WF_Funders