Our relationship with libraries in the Chicago area began in 2017. Our Workforce Connection Center (WCC) team was looking for a new partnership that would allow us to bring our services to people in neighborhoods that were not located near a WCC location.
After doing some research, the WCC team learned that the Chicago Library had an Adult Learning and Economic Advancement Department that concentrates on resources for job seeking patrons throughout the city, and assists their branches with services relating to work. In addition to the services offered by the library, branches can work with local organizations to host monthly employment-specific workshops and other services. We also set out to form relationships with smaller suburban libraries in communities right outside the city.
After discussions and planning, we decided to provide one-on-one consultations for job seekers at the Oak Park Library. These 30 to 45-minute appointments allow a Workforce Connection Center Specialist to discuss employment-related topics with a job seeker. The time is dedicated to the job seeker’s needs and person career goals and can include a range of topics: resume and cover letter development, creating or updating their LinkedIn profile and advice on career track changes or re-entry into the workforce.
The one-on-one consultations have become incredibly popular, with reservations for these appointments scheduling out for several weeks at a time. They are such a popular addition to the list of job seeker services at the library that we now hold them at a total six library locations, including Forest Park, Berwyn, Cicero, Stickney, and two Chicago Public Library branches – North Austin and West Englewood.
As our partnership continues to evolve, we've added more services to the library locations. We began hosting quarterly on-site recruitment events with select employers at the library locations. We also provide the libraries with our monthly events calendars which highlight upcoming events at Chicago area Workforce Connection Centers.
Dave R., who attended one of our recruitment events, was grateful for the opportunity to have access to employers and their open positions. “Thank you for your support in my job search. I am very excited to have accepted an offer,” says Dave. “Thank you for meeting with me, encouraging me, improving my resume, and helping me feel supported on the journey,” says Dave.
Another new service that we have brought to libraries in the Chicago area are Job Clubs, which allows us to meet with a larger group and includes a presentation about our Workforce Connection Center services, including onsite recruitment events and workshops offered at our Centers.
The partnership is allowing Chicago residents to access Goodwill services right in their neighborhood. “I think the relationship between the Goodwill Workforce Connection Center and the Chicago Public Library West Englewood Branch has been great, says Maurice Thomas, Branch Manager. “Library patrons have really appreciated the hiring events provided by Goodwill, and the numbers have shown great growth. The hiring events are the highest attended adult programs at the branch. The partnership has served the main purpose of connecting residents of the Englewood community with the much-needed job resources," says Thomas.
For more information about our services for job seekers in Illinois, and our partnership with the Chicago Public Library, please contact Brenda Sanders, Area Program Manager, at (773) 627-5755 or brenda.sanders@goodwillsew.com.
For more information on the Chicago Public Library, please visit www.chipublib.org.
For more information on the Chicago Suburban Branches, please go to the following websites:
Go back to the main page
