Chicago's Inequity In Tech?

The future success of a city hinges upon its ability to nurture, attract, and retain highly skilled talent that can drive technology-focused enterprises. For Chicago to firmly establish itself as a leading US city in the years to come, it is essential to strengthen the tech workforce while reflecting the diversity of the city's population. Currently, the demand for tech expertise in Chicago and Illinois exceeds the available supply, a trend that persists unless comprehensive actions are taken. Unfortunately, access to premium tech opportunities is distributed unevenly, with Black and Latinx Chicagoans representing only 14% of the local tech workforce despite comprising two-thirds of the city's residents. Addressing this imbalance requires enhanced workforce initiatives targeting young individuals & those lacking affluence or established networks. This discrepancy is further highlighted by the fact that less than 4% of Computer Science bachelor's degrees awarded by Illinois colleges (excluding for-profit institutions) go to Black students, and less than 12% to Hispanic students, even though these groups constitute more than 30% of Illinois' population. Illinois forfeits the potential contributions of around 600 Black and Latinx computing graduates each year due to these imbalances.