Pritzker Traubert Foundation Awards $5M to Train 1,000 Chicagoans for Health Care Jobs

City Colleges of Chicago and Cook County Health to partner on three-year workforce development program.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Pritzker Traubert Foundation is awarding $5 million to City Colleges of Chicago and Cook County Health to train and place 1,000 Chicagoans in health care jobs over the next three years, with the potential for 400 additional positions annually thereafter. The program will provide training, clinical rotations, and apprenticeships to prepare students for roles as medical assistants, patient care technicians, medical lab technicians, nurses, and in behavioral health, community health, and direct care.

Why it matters

This initiative aims to create a sustainable pathway for low-income Chicagoans to access good-paying health care jobs, addressing staffing shortages at local hospitals while also boosting economic opportunity in underserved communities. By partnering with City Colleges and Cook County Health, the program will leverage existing training infrastructure and employer relationships to efficiently connect talent with in-demand roles.

The details

The '2025 Chicago Talent Challenge' will scale up City Colleges' training capacity, increase access to clinical rotations and apprenticeships, and coordinate hiring with health care employers to ensure graduates' first jobs. Training will take place at Provident Hospital, Malcolm X College, and Kennedy-King College. The program is designed to benefit both students and employers, with students gaining paid clinical experience and a direct pipeline to jobs at Cook County Health, while the health system reduces reliance on staffing agencies and can reinvest those savings to grow the program.

  • The $5 million grant from the Pritzker Traubert Foundation was announced on March 2, 2026.
  • The program aims to train and place 1,000 Chicagoans in health care jobs over the next three years, with the potential for 400 additional positions annually thereafter.

The players

Pritzker Traubert Foundation

A philanthropic organization founded by Penny Pritzker and her husband, Bryan Traubert, that is funding the $5 million 'Chicago Talent Challenge' to connect Chicagoans with good health care jobs.

City Colleges of Chicago

A community college system that will partner with Cook County Health to provide training and clinical rotations for the workforce development program.

Cook County Health

A public health system that will collaborate with City Colleges to hire graduates of the training program and provide clinical experiences.

Nathalia Henry

A student in the medical assisting program at Malcolm X College who is excited about the opportunity to gain real-world clinical experience and transition into a career in direct patient care.

Juan Salgado

The Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago, who says the program will bring income and economic prosperity to underserved communities.

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What they’re saying

“We know these folks are going to end up being homeowners...have a little extra money for being able to send their kids to college someday...have resources for retirement. All those quality-of-life indicators that are really important in reducing life expectancy gaps in these communities. It's all interrelated, and this effort is making it a reality.”

— Juan Salgado, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago (chicagotribune.com)

“Direct patient care is something that's been on my heart for quite some time, and it's just the timing and the opportunity to make the transition. Medical assistants are often the first clinical point of contact for the patient–carrying real responsibility in shaping the patient experience.”

— Nathalia Henry, Student, Malcolm X College (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

The program aims to train and place 1,000 Chicagoans in health care jobs over the next three years, with the potential for 400 additional positions annually thereafter.

The takeaway

This initiative demonstrates how public-private partnerships can create sustainable workforce development programs that benefit both job seekers and employers. By leveraging existing training infrastructure and employer relationships, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation's $5 million investment has the potential to significantly improve economic opportunity in underserved Chicago communities while also addressing critical staffing needs in the local health care sector.