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Mayor Daley and CTA Launch
New Supervisor Information
System and Innovative
Employment Program
Ex-Offender Apprentice Program
In November, CTA launched a new initiative in which hard-to-employ individuals and ex-offenders were hired to participate in the CTA’s Apprentice program. As part of the program, the agency selected 50 individuals to complete job readiness training through the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (MOWD), which partners with non-profit community organizations to help hard to place individuals re-enter the workforce. This grant program helps subsidize the costs non-profit community organizations spend in assisting ex-offenders. Currently the CTA program has 156 individuals that are assigned to cleaning both bus and rail cars.
“The Apprentice program helps the CTA in its efforts to provide a clean traveling environment for customers and provides a second chance for individuals who have faced difficult times in their lives get back on their feet,” said Mayor Daley. “As I have said many times before, our families, our neighborhoods and our city’s economy all benefit when formerly incarcerated individuals achieve their independence and lead healthy, responsible lives.”
Individuals who successfully complete the job training program are placed in a pool of candidates that are eligible to participate in the program. When apprenticeships become available, CTA receives resumes from the MOWD, interviews the candidates, administers drug testing and provides additional hands-on rail and bus cleaning training for those selected.
“The program we have been operating is one of the largest transition programs in the country,” said Huberman. “It offers the longest term for workers to prove themselves, nine months, where many other programs are limited to only 12 weeks.”
The apprentices work various shifts, five days a week and make $9.50 per hour. CTA’s goal is to transition the best workers into permanent positions. From the original 50 in the program, CTA is in the process of hiring seven on a full-time permanent basis.
For more information, please call Workforce Development at (312) 746-7777.
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