City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) and Harry S Truman College recently (10/13) launched Innovation One: Technology, Training and Resource Center at Truman College.

The lab is open to CPS students and teachers as well as CCC students, faculty, and staff.

The Innovation One Lab is driven by two imperatives: social equity and workforce equity and is part of the CCC’s efforts to address equity in tech.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018) reveals an underrepresentation of women, Black, and Latinx professionals working in the information technology industry. An example, among U.S. software developers, just 3.9% are Black, 5.3% are Latinx, and 19% are female.

“Innovation One is designed to meet the diverse needs of learners across multiple age ranges throughout the city. It uniquely brings together students, educators and families in the same learning space, with the hope of developing a learning community that spans beyond the walls of our campus,” said Dr. Shawn L. Jackson, President of Truman College. “We look forward to seeing how this invaluable instruction and Apple equipment will benefit our students, educators, and curriculum for years to come.”

“One of the most vital aspects about Innovation One’s mission is its hyper-focus on providing resources in communities where opportunity gaps exist which prevent people from reaching their highest potential. Thanks to this incredible initiative, we will be able to better ensure that our residents have access to the technology, training and education they need to succeed—no matter where they live in the City,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot.

“Traditional business models are being disrupted and digital technologies are transforming multiple industries every day. The Innovation One Lab will prepare our students and teachers for what’s next in tech career pathways while providing the hardware and trainings necessary to meet job growth demand of the ever-expanding tech industry,” said Juan Salgado, Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago.

As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple is supporting Innovation One with equipment and training programs to expand technology, creativity and professional development opportunities to the Chicago community.

“At Apple, we believe in the transformative power of technology as a critical tool to help expand equity and opportunity,” said Stacy Erb, Apple’s director of Community Education Initiatives. “We’re thrilled to build on our work with City Colleges of Chicago, and to see the Innovation One hub open its doors to Chicago’s vibrant community to help learners of all ages gain new skills and pursue their passions.”

“Through Apple’s partnership, in conjunction with leaders, both in the City of Chicago and our education system, I’m confident these new tools will be an improvement in the education of students across the city. The Innovation One Program will provide the additional support our communities need in technological advancement, driven by a new approach on how we utilize these resources to enrich the lives of young people,” said Commissioner Brandie Knazze, with the Department of Family and Support Services. “These efforts will also be accessible to learners across multiple age ranges throughout the city, bringing students, teachers, and communities together in a safe space to learn.”

The Innovation One hub at Truman College includes a loaning library that provides access to technology equipment that participants can use at home or in the classroom; a training lab designed for in-person, remote and flex instruction; a studio that serves as a theatre space for recording and presenting work; a discovery bar that reflects a professional IT work environment; a podcast studio with state-of-the-art equipment for live broadcasting; and a community hub designed to provide community members with access to trainings and educational experiences.

Innovation One Hub is located at Truman College, with satellite locations scheduled to be housed at Olive-Harvey College in Roseland, Kennedy-King College in Englewood, and Arturo Velasquez Technical Institute in Pilsen. To sign-up for use of the Innovation One Lab, email: TRC-InnovationOne@ccc.edu. For more information and an overview of the offerings, click here or call 773-COLLEGE.

Harry S. Truman College prepares students for the growing economy and includes pathways in Cosmetology, Education, Human and Natural Sciences, Tech, and more. In bringing together CCC’s resources, Truman continues to be an institution of higher education where the best teachers are teaching the teachers of tomorrow how to be the best.

Because Truman College teaches the teachers of tomorrow, the SEED Scholarship was created. The scholarship will support up to100 students who successfully apply to Teach Chicago Tomorrow, a new partnership between City Colleges and CPS to prepare CPS graduates to become CPS teachers. Students will be offered up to $3,000 in individual scholarships by City Colleges, renewable for up to three years. Starting this fall, the scholarship is available for 2020 and 2021 graduates from CPS high schools, including charters. Undocumented students are also eligible to apply.

Scholarship recipients can take one of two tracks: Pathways Partnership, where students earn a City Colleges associate degree and then a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, or Emerging Educator, where students take classes at City Colleges and then transfer to any four-year institution. City Colleges has transfer agreements with many four-year institutions, including Chicago State University, DePaul University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Southern Illinois University. These agreements waive fees and help students enroll.

SEED Scholars who earn licenses to teach in Illinois will have priority placement for a full-time teaching job in CPS schools. However, students who want to pursue a teaching career need a 2.7 or a 2.5 GPA with two reference letters to qualify for the SEED scholarship. Apply at: www.cps.edu/applyTCT.

###