Chicago Public Schools, ComEd, and City Colleges expand STEM education and career pathways
Chicago Public Schools (CPS), ComEd, and City Colleges of Chicago have announced a partnership to expand career-readiness opportunities at Chicago Military Academy (CMA).
The team up includes a $100,000 investment from ComEd and aims to strengthen CMA’s Early College STEM (ECSTEM) program by introducing new education pathways and workforce training programs linked to the energy sector.
New academic and career training opportunities
As part of the initiative, CMA students will have access to two associate degree programs at City Colleges of Chicago’s Dawson Technical Institute. An Associate in Applied Science Degree in Construction Management will launch in Fall 2025, followed by an Associate of Applied Science in Construction Engineering and Management in Spring 2026.
The initiative is aligned with the Chicago Roadmap, a partnership between CPS and City Colleges of Chicago designed to provide students with structured pathways from high school to post-secondary education and employment.
CPS CEO Pedro Martinez emphasized the importance of increasing career-focused educational opportunities:
“Chicago’s young people deserve every opportunity possible for a bright future. That is why our mission as a District is to pair a well-rounded, high-quality education with career readiness and network building. We are grateful for this partnership, which adds to our growing efforts to make sure our students have as many pathways as possible to a promising career after graduation.”
Chancellor Juan Salgado of City Colleges of Chicago highlighted the program’s broader objectives:
"The Early College STEM program is about creating pathways to success, igniting futures, and empowering students to shape the world and their career trajectory in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By partnering with Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago, ComEd is investing in education and the future success of our great city and state.”
Workforce development
The partnership follows a model that ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones previously supported in New York, which integrated STEM education with industry experience. Quiniones outlined the company’s role in workforce training efforts in Illinois:
“Engineering and technical service careers will play a critical role in building a cleaner, more sustainable energy future, so ComEd is partnering with Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago to give more young people exposure to these promising career paths.
“As leaders in the energy transformation, we feel a responsibility to support tomorrow’s leaders by enriching their education and giving them an opportunity to pursue a deeply rewarding career.”
Illinois is projected to add up to 150,000 jobs by 2050 in support of the clean energy transition. To prepare students for these roles, ComEd will provide curriculum support, mentorship programs, site visits, and panel discussions designed to introduce students to careers in energy and construction.
CMA was chosen as the primary school for this program due to its existing ECSTEM curriculum, which includes courses in IT, engineering, and 3D modeling. The school’s experience in STEM education provides a foundation for integrating additional career training initiatives.
