CHICAGO – Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus celebrated the announcement of IBM’s new FutureNow Chicago delivery center, which will be part of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park and create 750 full-time jobs, with a commitment to hiring from a new City Colleges apprenticeship program.
“This announcement is a win for City Colleges students, Illinois workers and our state’s economy,” said State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago). “By supporting forward-thinking partnerships that bring the next generation to the table, Illinois is solidifying its status as a global leader in the technologies of the future.”
The City Colleges apprenticeship program is being launched with philanthropic support and IBM’s collaboration. IBM will help City Colleges of Chicago design the program to prepare Illinoisans for advanced technology careers and create a pipeline to high-quality jobs. Over the next five years, City Colleges will support 500 apprentices, with IBM committing to hiring one-third of the qualified program graduates. This initiative prioritizes access for Illinois residents, ensuring surrounding communities on Chicago’s South Side benefit from the economic impact generated by the IQMP. IBM is further supporting talent pipelines by partnering with Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and Chicago State University to offer internships.
Illinois is home to the third-largest community college system in the nation, serving hundreds of thousands of students each year and acting as a critical engine of workforce mobility. Through strategic investments in career and technical education programs and community colleges statewide, Illinois is expanding access to industry-aligned credentials and hands-on training, reflecting its No. 3 nationwide ranking in workforce development and No. 1 ranking in the Midwest.
“Chicago’s South Side community has endured decades of industrial disinvestment since the closing of our steel mills, but through this partnership, we’re bringing opportunity back to the residents who far too long have been overlooked,” said State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). “By ensuring City College students have access to specialized training programs and pathways in quantum and microelectronic careers, we’re also ensuring our state has a diverse workforce pipeline that benefits everyone, especially Black and Brown communities.”
FutureNow Chicago will serve as an innovation and delivery hub, helping IBM clients and industry partners solve complex, real world business and technology challenges while creating clear career pathways for Illinois talent. The delivery center will become an anchor tenant at the IQMP’s Quantum Works building, which will serve as a cutting-edge innovation and talent development hub.
IBM has also committed to making a substantial capital investment over the term of the IQMP lease agreement and creating 750 new full-time jobs over the next five years.
With this latest investment, Illinois continues to position itself as a global leader in next-generation technologies while aiming to ensure that the benefits of innovation are shared broadly across its communities. As Illinois continues to attract more quantum companies, the IQMP is projected to generate up to $20 billion in economic impact and create thousands of jobs.
