TechWorks Internship Program:
Creating New Career Opportunities in Technology
for Chicago’s High School and College Students with Disabilities
According to the American Association of People with Disabilities, of the 28 million people with disabilities of employable age, only about one-third has found work. This means a pool of qualified people, who are willing to work and capable of contributing to a company's bottom line, is standing on the side lines. The TechWorks Initiative is about bringing those students with disabilities together with employers using a great equalizer: Technology.
The TechWorks Mission Statement:
The TechWorks Project will connect employers with students with disabilities in order to grow and diversify the employer's business as well as help students with disabilities explore career opportunities in information technology.
Note: The paid and unpaid internships are supported by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, (DCEO), which is made possible through the leadership of Director Jack Lavin and is part of Governor Pat Quinn's Workforce Development Initiative. The TechWorks Initiative is administered through disabilityworks at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, (MOPD) which provides technical assistance.
The TechWorks Internship Program’s Four Main Objectives:
- Enable students with disabilities to gain real-world work experience and further enhance employment opportunities in information technology.
- Increase students’ current "IT" skills and explore "IT" as a possible career choice.
- Increase placement in "IT" jobs for interns who complete the program.
- With exposure to highly competent interns, TechWorks seeks to break down stereotypes and help eliminate employer fears about the limitations of persons with disabilities.
For More Information:
For more information about the TechWorks program, please contact Catherine Marsden at (312) 730-2271 or email us at info@chicagotechworks.org.