Kierra is a young mother and healthcare professional who hasn't followed a typical linear path.

Chloe had held jobs before, but when she came to YJC, she was looking for direction—a greater purpose for her path. After reading through YJC’s client success stories, she decided she wanted a success story of her own.

Demor graduated from high school in 2020, entering a job market—and a world—marked by upheaval and uncertainty. It got him off to a challenging start, and he bounced from one retail job to another until he discovered a professional passion: information technology (I.T.) 

Jasmine is a 23-year-old mother of three who was, in her own words, “ready for a change and a set future for my children and I!”

Ivan is a teenager from the southwest side of Chicago whose interests include music (he's a guitarist and has played in a mariachi group) and accounting (he's currently taking a course for dual credit at his high school). When he wanted to get a job, he reached out to Youth Job Center to start his journey.

“I grew up on the west side of Chicago around poverty and violence. Early on I knew I wanted to be more than a statistic and follow my dreams of a career in the healthcare field.” These are the words of Jekireya, our driven and remarkable client of the month.

Fatima grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she excelled academically and enjoyed advocating for women’s rights. When she and her family moved to the U.S., however, Fatima found it understandably difficult to adjust. “I wasn’t used to using a computer, using the internet, or communicating with others constantly in English,” she shares.

Aleecia is a born-and-raised Chicagoan and oldest of four who lives with her mother and dog Oreo. She was working at a warehouse when a close friend told her about Youth Job Center. “I wasn’t myself before I started YJC, because I was trying to find my career path or figure out what to do with my future,” she says. “But YJC helped me build a brighter future for myself.”

Allana is a teenager from the south side of Chicago who enjoys playing softball, flag football, and violin. Last year, she decided she wanted to add “working a job” to that list of activities, but she wasn’t sure how to get started. When YJC sent information about our This Way ONWard program to Allana’s high school, it seemed like fate.

Ifunanya is a native of Lagos, Nigeria, who moved to the U.S. seven years ago in search of better education opportunities. Armed with a determined spirit and a passion for nursing, she joined YJC in 2022 to get help with completing her nursing education and finding employment. 

POSITION: Cardiac Telemetry Technician
EMPLOYER: University of Chicago Medicine

AGE: 24
POSITION: Patient Care Technician (PCT)
TRAINING PROVIDER: Patient Care Technician program, Tukiendorf Training Institute

AGE: 24
EMPLOYER: Walgreens
DATE EMPLOYED: October 2023

AGE: 20
POSITION: Associate
EMPLOYER: Chicago Food Stop
DATE EMPLOYED: July 2023

AGE: 21
POSITION: Kids and Baby Merchandising Specialist
EMPLOYER: Old Navy
DATE EMPLOYED: May 2021

AGE: 23
POSITION: Light Truck Driver
EMPLOYER: Garrett Popcorn Shops
DATE EMPLOYED: December 2020

AGE: 23
TRAINING PROGRAM: Commercial Driving License
SCHOOL: 160 Driving Academy
START DATE: January 2023

AGE: 24
TRAINING PROGRAM: Automotive 101
SCHOOL: Olive-Harvey College
START DATE: March 2023

AGE: 23
POSITION: Patient Escort
EMPLOYER: Northwestern Medicine
START DATE: May 2023

AGE: 22
CAREER PATHWAY: Healthcare
SCHOOL: Chicago Community Learning Center
START DATE: Fall 2022

AGE: 19
CAREER PATHWAY: Automotive 101
SCHOOL: Olive-Harvey College
START DATE: Spring 2023

AGE: 23
POSITION: Guest Experience Specialist
EMPLOYER: World Business Chicago
START DATE: December 2022

AGE: 24
POSITION: Guest Experience Specialist
EMPLOYER: World Business Chicago
START DATE: December 2022

AGE: 19
POSITION: Service Member
EMPLOYER: Sweet Green
START DATE: October 2022

AGE: 22
CAREER PATHWAYS: Information Technology (I.T.)
SCHOOL: National Able Network
START DATE: December 2022

AGE: 22
CAREER PATHWAYS: Automotive 101
SCHOOL: Olive-Harvey College
START DATE: June 2022

AGE: 21
POSITION: Class-A CDL
EMPLOYER: Werner Truck Driving
START DATE: August 2022

AGE: 19
POSITION: Brand Associate
EMPLOYER: Old Navy
START DATE: August 2022

AGE: 17
POSITION: Intern
EMPLOYER: Old Navy
START DATE: July 2022

AGE: 24
POSITION: Software Engineer
EMPLOYER: Avanade
START DATE: June 2022