The Chicago Airport System Praises The Midway Terminal Development's Community Hiring Initiatives
The Inaugural Awards Ceremony Pays Tribute to the Outstanding Achievements of the Midway Partnership
December 6, 2000 - The Chicago Airport System and the Midway Partners for Economic Development hosts its first awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of Chicago's community residents hired through the Midway Community Hiring and Apprenticeship Initiatives.
The Midway Terminal Development Program is having a tremendous impact on the region and the neighborhoods surrounding Midway. The $762 million project is the largest public works project underway in Illinois, designed to improve operational efficiency, expand terminal capacity, enhance safety and implement noise mitigation measures at Midway.
"We want to recognize the outreach efforts of the contractors and unions who have actively participated in the Midway Partners' Apprenticeship Initiative, said Aviation Commissioner Thomas R. Walker. Mayor Daley's comprehensive, citywide initiative is committed to promoting minority participation and opportunity for local Chicago residents and businesses," he added.
The Midway Terminal Development Program is not just about improving the infrastructure. The Program in cooperation with The Midway Partners for Economic Opportunity focuses on building communities, and businesses while developing careers and job opportunities.
The Midway Partnership includes a diverse group of over twenty five community based organizations, several trade organizations and representatives from civic and community leadership. To date, nearly seventy community residents have been hired to contractors on site. Twenty five of the seventy hires have entered into the apprenticeship programs with various unions.
Aviation Commissioner Thomas R. Walker will present Awards of Achievement to over fifteen contractors and unions who have made a difference to those community residents employed with the Program.
Some of the organizations include Trainor Glass, MTH Industries, Walsh/Riteway, II in One, Universal Insulation, Spray Insulation, Roofers'Apprenticeship, Laborer's Local 1, ALL Masonry, EVC, CECO, Carpenters' Apprenticeship, and RG Construction.
Employed community residents will also be honored in recognition of their progress in pursuing career paths initiated through these apprenticeship programs.
The Midway Terminal Development Program is expected to create approximately 94,000 jobs and generate more than $3.6 billion in economic impact by 2012. Since November, 1999, over $8.2 million dollars in wages has been earned by Chicago residents.
