Chicago City Wire

The need for data to power today’s workforce and tomorrow’s innovation has made 5G communications infrastructure more important than ever. Of course, this also means that the workforce building this infrastructure has never been more important. Crown Castle is committed to developing a strong, talented, and diverse workforce capable of building this infrastructure — from fiber to small cells —and meeting Chicago’s demand for 5G.

Crown Castle is proud to work with key players in Chicago’s workforce development ecosystem. This includes the subcontractors with whom we work hand-in-hand to develop diverse talent and cultivate union labor, important elements in the roll-out of 5G. In 2023, we look to continue our support for organizations like the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Business Development Center, and the Minority Supplier Development Center—all of which help certify and develop Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) companies, preparing them to be competitive in bidding for contracts across the wireless communications industry.

To complement our existing partnerships with organizations supporting minority and women-owned businesses, Crown Castle continues to expand our efforts to develop a diverse workforce at a grassroots level.

Crown Castle is a strong supporter of Chicago Women in Trades, an organization that works to provide financial and professional support for women entering high skill trades. This partnership has led to graduates breaking glass ceilings in their industries, including the first Black woman to join Millwright Local 1693 and the first female carpenter to work for Bully and Andrews.

Crown Castle also has a deep history of partnering with organizations that work with youth, like My Block, My Hood, My City, whose Explorer’s Program introduces students on the South and West Sides to career opportunities, and, in partnership with Crown Castle—to careers in fiber splicing. 

Crown Castle continues to support youth in Chicago through supporting the expansion of Work Force High, an alternative high school that works with strategic partner and contractor, Electrical Conduit Construction, to provide fiber splicing education on the South Side of Chicago. Thanks in part to Crown Castles’ support, this initiative was able to open a second location on the West Side.

Crown Castle is excited to continue supporting workforce development in Chicago as a powerful tool that grows the economy, equips people with paths to successful and rewarding careers and changes lives.

Original source can be found here.