Workforce tech nonprofit i.c.stars opens Chicago office, partners with United Airlines

i.c.stars, a Chicago-based workforce technology nonprofit organization, opened a new headquarters at 750 N. Orleans in River North with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. The expansion aims to double its capacity, accommodate two cohorts simultaneously in learning studios, and allow i.c.stars alumni to work remotely while supporting future program growth, according to a recent press release by the organization. 

The nonprofit focuses on providing low-income young adults with the skills and network necessary to secure careers in the high-paying information technology field while changing hiring practices around nontraditional talent. The program offers students a four-month immersive training in a hands-on setting, where they learn project-based coding and methodologies, and receive a stipend, a laptop, higher education support, and career mentorship. It also provides wraparound support for participants, including trauma-informed counseling. 

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, i.c.stars founder Sandee Kastrul and her team shared details on its expanded hiring partnership with United Airlines and a new pilot program with the Chicago nonprofit organization, New Moms. Guest speaker Jason Birnbaum, United Airlines' chief information officer, spoke about the impact i.c. stars has had on the major airline itself.

"Our partnership with i.c.stars has opened doors to exceptional talent for United Airlines," said Birnbaum during his speech. "We’ve had forty i.c stars come through our doors. Just last year, we sponsored a program for cycle fifty-two to do a project out at our airport, and we got eighteen people from that cycle to be part of our organization at United Airlines. We also had nine apprentices convert to full-time jobs and our hope is twenty-two more will be coming on by the end of this year." 

Gabrielle Caverl-McNeal, New Moms' senior director of workforce development, spoke on the new pilot program at i.c. stars in collaboration with New Moms. The pilot program will provide IT career pathway training and opportunities for career growth to these mothers.

“We’re looking to dismantle some of the barriers to black women moving into tech, and we know this intentional investment will provide a return to Chicagoland families and communities,” said Caverl-McNeal. 

Kastrul mentioned during her speech that i.c.stars founded its first cohort in 2000 and has since gone on to train fifty-three cohorts with an overall impact of more than 800 students in the Chicago metro area. 

i.c. stars Program Manager Brandies Mevaa, who graduated from the program in cycle eleven, told Chicago Star Media, “The biggest impact from being part of i.c. stars is that I learned myself. i.c. stars is all about reciprocity and resilience and I learned that those were naturally embedded in my character and I just didn’t have a name for it.”

According to a press release by the organization, i.c.stars reports a 90 percent training-related placement rate for participants and an industry retention rate of 80 percent at the one-year employment mark. Companies like United Airlines, Accenture, Northwestern Mutual, HUB International, and US Foods continually hire i.c.stars graduates.