Municipal Council Committee Approves Eliminating University Requirement for Municipal Jobs
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Introduction to the Issue
Citing the excessive increase in the cost of university education, a Municipal Council Committee agreed on Tuesday to eliminate that “paper roof” allowing municipal job candidates to replace work experience with a diploma.
At the request of the Councilor of the 36th District, Gilbert Villegas, a member of the American Navy who served in the desert and desert storm operations, the Development Committee of the workforce was mobilized to abolish what many consider an irrelevant and discriminatory barrier.
The Problem with University Requirements
Villegas argued that requiring most candidates for jobs in the municipality who have university degrees has banned veterans and minorities to qualify for positions that could be their “path to the middle class.”
The lowest threshold would not apply to professional positions, including lawyers, doctors and nurses.
“More than 55% of veterans have no titles, but we have spent dozens and hundreds of thousands of dollars training these men and women. They have real experience,” said Villegas. “We want to make sure that we are providing opportunities to all the Chicagagenses and veterans by breaking that paper roof.”
The Alternative Routes
The city of Chicago has so many applicants that lack university titles that there is an acronym for them: they are called Stars, which means “qualified through alternative routes” by its acronym in English.
These “alternative routes” include everything from community schools, training and labor certifications to military training and years of service or work experience.
Statistics and Analysis
An analysis by the Opportunity defense group concluded that there are 922,000 stars in Chicago that have the skills to qualify for jobs in the municipality, but lack a university degree.
“When a work requires a university degree, we automatically exclude most demographic groups,” said Blair Corcoran de Castillo, a public sector vice president and Opportunity@work. “In the municipality, this translates into the exclusion of 61% of black workers, 54% of Hispanic or Latin workers, 39% of white workers, 33% of Asian-American workers and 64% of veteran workers.”
De Castillo concluded his testimony with a surprising statistic: “More than 30 years are needed for a Star to win the same salary as a candidate with a university degree wins on his first day after the university,” he said.
Expected Outcomes and Support
If, as expected, the Full Municipal Council approves the Ordinance of Villegas, Chicago would join 26 states and the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Madison, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis-ST. Paul in “Breaking the paper roof,” said Castillo.
Annika Cole, policy defense manager for the Chicago Jobs Council, said it is time for the municipality to “eliminate the unnecessary requirements of municipal work titles where workers are well qualified through alternative routes other than a university degree.”
Councilor Marty Quinn (13th) said that the change to “skills -based hiring” is a good first step at a time when “the cost of a university education is now crazy … approaching $ 100,000 a year in some institutions.”
Conclusion
The Municipal Council Committee’s decision to eliminate the university requirement for municipal jobs is a significant step forward in providing opportunities to all Chicagoans, including veterans and minorities. By recognizing alternative routes to qualification, the city can diversify and expand its workforce, and provide a path to the middle class for those who have been excluded by the traditional university degree requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of eliminating the university requirement for municipal jobs?
A: The purpose is to provide opportunities to all Chicagoans, including veterans and minorities, by recognizing alternative routes to qualification and breaking the “paper roof” that has excluded many from municipal jobs.
Q: What are the alternative routes to qualification?
A: The alternative routes include community schools, training and labor certifications, military training, and years of service or work experience.
Q: How many people in Chicago are affected by the university requirement?
A: According to an analysis by the Opportunity defense group, there are 922,000 stars in Chicago who have the skills to qualify for jobs in the municipality but lack a university degree.
Q: What is the expected outcome of the Municipal Council’s decision?
A: If the Full Municipal Council approves the Ordinance, Chicago would join 26 states and several cities in “Breaking the paper roof” and recognizing alternative routes to qualification.
