In fact, some 18% of top job positions involve computer and mathematical skills, according to the Chicago Workforce Investment Council. Hill Morgan recommends that aspiring entrepreneurs start a business in growth industries such as green energy, high-speed rail technology, and sustainability, which are flourishing in Chicago despite the recession.
Union Issues
Government solutions are only one piece to the puzzle. Unions also need to get on board with increasing minority participation. Historically, unions and black contractors have been at odds in Chicago.
Nevertheless, Davis says many unions recognize the problem and are making positive moves in the right direction by working with places such as Dawson Technical Institute and the West Side Technical Institute to train African Americans and help them become union certified. Davis hired eight Dawson students when his company, won a contract with the city to install white-glowing ceramic metal halide lights designed to make Chicago brighter and more environmentally sustainable.
While Chicago may be open for business, it’s obvious that black firms in all industries need to step up their games to compete, or starve in this competitive environment. The question of how to grow a business to a sustainable level is a debate that has gone on for years. But the record shows that M/WBE programs are an essential component to the growth of black businesses–both in Chicago and the nation as a whole.