Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation

TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE JOB SKILLS TRAINING FOR CAREERS IN TECH, AND PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT.

IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2023, I.C.STARS HOSTED 5 TRAINING COHORTS WITH A TOTAL OF 110 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS CHICAGO AND MILWAUKEE. PARTICIPANTS GAINED PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BUILDING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS, HOSTING PRESENTATIONS TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS, AND HONING LEADERSHIP SKILLS. ON AVERAGE, 85% OF EACH COHORT SECURED JOBS IN TECHNOLOGY ROLES SUCH AS TECHNOLOGY APPRENTICE, JUNIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE ANALYST WITH AN INITIAL TO THEIR ANNUAL EARNINGS OF APPROXIMATELY 120%. AFTER ONE YEAR, PARTICIPANTS ANNUAL EARNINGS INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 200%. I.C.STARS INSTRUCTORS, CASE MANAGERS, INDUSTRY PARTNERS, AND APPROXIMATELY 650 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OUTCOME. ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING TOOLS INCLUDE PLURALSIGHT, TRAUMA-INFORMED COUNSELING, CIVICS LESSONS, STORYTELLING FOR IMPACT AND NETWORKING EVENTS. IN ADDITION, I.C.STARS ALUMNI DELIVERED TECH WORKSHOPS TO MORE THAN 200 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION PARTNERSHIPS.I.C.STARS PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO 118 RECENT GRADUATES AND OVER 50 ALUMNI. FOR MANY GRADUATES, THE INITIAL EMPLOYMENT WAS AS A TECHNOLOGY APPRENTICE, SOMETIMES THROUGH I.C.STARS' EMPLOYMENT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE; WHICH PROVIDES AN EXTRA LAYER OF SUPPORT AND CHECK-INS WITH EMPLOYERS. RECENT GRADUATES RECEIVED SUPPORT FOR 20 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE 4-MONTH IMMERSIVE TRAINING: I.C.STARS' STAFF PROVIDES ONGOING 1:1 CHECK-INS, MONTHLY GROUP SESSIONS THAT INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS, TRAUMA-INFORMED COUNSELING, AND ADVOCACY WITH EMPLOYERS WHEN NECESSARY. TEN RESIDENTS ALSO PURSUED HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES.I.C.STARS HELD EIGHT INDUSTRY EVENTS, FOUR IN CHICAGO AND MILWAUKEE, WITH SEVEN IN-PERSON AND ONE VIRTUAL. THESE EVENTS BUILD THE INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL OF PARTICIPANTS AND ALUMNI AND STRENGTHEN THE TECH SECTOR BY BRINGING TOGETHER TECH LEADERS, HIRING MANAGERS, AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERS. IN TOTAL, JUST 800 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED THE EVENTS. EVENTS INCLUDED TWO HACK-A-THONS INSPIRED BY MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY WHICH PROVIDED LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INSIGHTS INTO SCALING THEIR IMPACT, FOUR EVENTS FOCUSED ON TECH INNOVATIONS IN SOCIAL MEDIA, LAW, AND HEALTHCARE WITH KEYNOTES FROM META, FROEDHERT HEALTH, AND NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL, AND TWO EVENTS TO CELEBRATE OUR IMPACT WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKERS FROM GE HEALTHCARE AND ACCENTURE.