City Colleges' Bold Plan to Power Chicago's Workforce and Boost Equity

CHICAGO, IL – April 22, 2026 – City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), the largest community college system in Illinois, has unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic plan aimed at transforming student outcomes and cementing its role as a primary engine for the city's economic prosperity. The new roadmap, titled Forward, Together, outlines a comprehensive strategy to boost graduation and transfer rates, align programs with critical workforce needs, and remove systemic barriers that have historically hindered student success.

Building on a period of enrollment growth that outpaced state and national averages, the 2026-2030 plan sets a bold vision for the institution that serves over 73,000 students across its seven colleges. "Our progress is undeniable, but our future will be bolder," said Chancellor Juan Salgado. "Forward, Together reflects who we are and who we will become for City Colleges students and our city – a catalyst of enduring financial prosperity and a contributor to a stronger and more just Chicago."

A New Benchmark for Student Success

At the heart of the new strategy is the "55 for All" goal, a commitment to ensure that 55% of all credential-seeking students earn a degree, certificate, or transfer to a four-year university within four years of starting. The plan sets a target date of 2032 to achieve this milestone, with a crucial emphasis on equitable outcomes across every racial demographic.

This target represents a significant leap forward. While the college system reports making progress toward this goal, particularly for Black and Latine students, available data suggests the scale of the ambition. For instance, a recent analysis showed that 33% of Chicago Public Schools graduates from 2018 who enrolled directly at City Colleges completed a credential within four years. The "55 for All" goal aims to dramatically elevate this rate for its entire student body, positioning CCC among the top public colleges in the Chicago area for equitable completion.

To achieve this, the plan moves beyond traditional academic support. It systematically addresses the non-academic obstacles—from financial shocks to food insecurity—that often force students to drop out. This involves a dramatic expansion of wraparound services, treating basic needs as essential infrastructure for student success.

Forging the City's Future Workforce

Forward, Together directly confronts Chicago's well-documented talent shortages. The plan positions City Colleges as the region's go-to partner for developing skilled workers in high-demand sectors like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, skilled trades, and artificial intelligence. This is being achieved through a series of high-impact, strategic partnerships.

A cornerstone of this effort is HealthCatalyst, an innovative partnership with Cook County Health. Recently awarded the $5 million Chicago Talent Challenge prize from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, the initiative will create a direct pipeline to fill critical healthcare roles. The funding will support a first-of-its-kind, on-site training program at Provident Hospital on the South Side, expanding CCC’s healthcare footprint and addressing acute needs in the community.

In the advanced manufacturing sector, a new collaboration with DMG Mori, a global leader in manufacturing equipment, is set to elevate CCC's programs at Richard J. Daley College. This partnership is linked to a major $40.5 million expansion by DMG Mori in Illinois, which will create new jobs and establish dedicated workforce training programs for City Colleges students.

Recognizing the transformative impact of artificial intelligence, the community college system is also preparing students for the jobs of the future. CCC was recently selected as a regional lead institution for AWS-Machine Learning University (AWS-MLU) and has established the Midwest AI/Machine Learning Initiative. This partnership brings Amazon Web Services' cloud learning environment directly into classrooms at no cost, ensuring students are trained to ethically and effectively direct the powerful tools shaping modern industry.

Beyond the Classroom: A Commitment to Holistic Support

The plan's architects assert that academic rigor is rarely the sole reason students leave college. To that end, Forward, Together operationalizes a deep commitment to holistic support, anchored by strategic collaborations designed to stabilize students' lives so they can focus on their studies.

A landmark partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository is establishing the Food Security for Life initiative, ensuring students have consistent access to nutritious food. This is complemented by expanded emergency financial grants and mental health counseling. A key component of this strategy is the significant expansion of a partnership with the non-profit One Million Degrees (OMD). Backed by nearly $20 million in funding from sources including the Pritzker Foundation and City Colleges itself, the OMD program is scaling its evidence-based model of mentorship, financial assistance, and personal support. The initiative, which launched at Olive-Harvey College, is projected to serve 3,000 students annually as it expands across the system, directly contributing to the "55 for All" completion goal.

"Our 55 for All goal is a bold commitment to equity, and we're building the supports and new approaches it will take to reach it," said City Colleges of Chicago Foundation President Veronica Herrero. She noted that philanthropic investment is crucial for piloting and scaling these innovations so that more Chicagoans can build generational wealth.

This comprehensive approach is already changing lives. Tyshawn Allison, a recent graduate, found his path at Wilbur Wright College after his initial plans changed. "What started as an unexpected change in plans became a place where I found community, built a strong academic foundation, and stayed focused on my long-term goal of becoming an accountant and eventually a CPA," Allison said. He credits the college with providing a welcoming and challenging environment that prepared him for a smooth, low-debt transfer to Northern Illinois University. "Looking back, City Colleges gave me more than just a starting point. It gave me momentum."