Chicago's Tech Hub Unveils New Facility on South Side, Promising Life-Changing Opportunities
A $20 million facility in Greater Grand Crossing officially launched on Monday as Xchange Chicago, a nonprofit tech training hub aiming to create dynamic career pathways and economic opportunities for the community. The 28,000-square-foot building will house the training program, commercial tenants, and partners, including tech nonprofit P33, IT services firm SDI Presence, and community groups.
According to Mayor Brandon Johnson, Xchange has already created over 50 job opportunities for South Side residents in just over a year. Training and support from partners are expected to build a stronger Chicago and pave the way for thousands of life-changing technology jobs on the South Side.
The facility's training program focuses on IT skills, with an emphasis on software development, cybersecurity, infrastructure management, and business analysis. CEO Hardik Bhatt of SDI Presence noted that artificial intelligence is not eliminating IT jobs, but rather creating a need for skilled professionals who can utilize AI in tech roles.
The hub has seen great support from Chicago's corporate sector, with companies like Peoples Gas, Aon, Northern Trust, MRO, and the city of Chicago partnering to provide employment opportunities for Xchange graduates. The training program has trained and placed 55 apprentices in jobs with SDI, with plans to train 100 apprentices next year.
Xchange's waitlist has over 400 people eager for its eight- to 18-week program, which caters to residents aged 18-55 from South Side neighborhoods such as South Shore, Chatham, Englewood, and Greater Grand Crossing. Before enrolling in Xchange, participants typically made $15,000-$30,000 per year in retail or child care jobs, but after the program, graduates can earn annual salaries of around $50,000-$70,000 with full benefits.
The facility's opening marks a significant step towards revitalizing communities on the South Side, which have historically lacked resources. As P33 CEO Brad Henderson noted, Xchange is "opening up real, life-changing opportunities in technology fields from AI to cloud computing and cybersecurity for residents" while also bringing overseas IT investment back to the US and Chicago.
A $20 million facility in Greater Grand Crossing officially launched on Monday as Xchange Chicago, a nonprofit tech training hub aiming to create dynamic career pathways and economic opportunities for the community. The 28,000-square-foot building will house the training program, commercial tenants, and partners, including tech nonprofit P33, IT services firm SDI Presence, and community groups.
According to Mayor Brandon Johnson, Xchange has already created over 50 job opportunities for South Side residents in just over a year. Training and support from partners are expected to build a stronger Chicago and pave the way for thousands of life-changing technology jobs on the South Side.
The facility's training program focuses on IT skills, with an emphasis on software development, cybersecurity, infrastructure management, and business analysis. CEO Hardik Bhatt of SDI Presence noted that artificial intelligence is not eliminating IT jobs, but rather creating a need for skilled professionals who can utilize AI in tech roles.
The hub has seen great support from Chicago's corporate sector, with companies like Peoples Gas, Aon, Northern Trust, MRO, and the city of Chicago partnering to provide employment opportunities for Xchange graduates. The training program has trained and placed 55 apprentices in jobs with SDI, with plans to train 100 apprentices next year.
Xchange's waitlist has over 400 people eager for its eight- to 18-week program, which caters to residents aged 18-55 from South Side neighborhoods such as South Shore, Chatham, Englewood, and Greater Grand Crossing. Before enrolling in Xchange, participants typically made $15,000-$30,000 per year in retail or child care jobs, but after the program, graduates can earn annual salaries of around $50,000-$70,000 with full benefits.
The facility's opening marks a significant step towards revitalizing communities on the South Side, which have historically lacked resources. As P33 CEO Brad Henderson noted, Xchange is "opening up real, life-changing opportunities in technology fields from AI to cloud computing and cybersecurity for residents" while also bringing overseas IT investment back to the US and Chicago.
it's awesome that they've got this tech hub poppin' up with a $20 million facility 
50 job opportunities created already in just over a year? that's just the beginning 
and the fact that they're focusing on IT skills like software dev, cybersecurity, & AI is super smart move 
companies are finally starting to see the value in investin' in their community members. gotta love the corporate sector comin' together to support this program 
They're creating jobs that'll pay more than what I used to make playing video games (which, btw, was a legit career path in my day 
). The fact that 400 people are on the waitlist says it all – South Side folks need these tech skills and a chance to level up. And hey, AI might not be taking jobs from humans, but it's definitely creating new ones... like robots doing human jobs, lol! 
! It's like, a total game-changer for the South Side community 
. 50 job opportunities created already? That's awesome 
! The corporate sector is really stepping up too, partnering with companies to provide employment opportunities for Xchange graduates 
. It's like, a total win-win situation 
. Can't wait to see how this hub continues to grow and make a difference in people's lives 
.
. I mean, 50 jobs already created? That's amazing 
. And the fact that companies like Peoples Gas are investing time and money into this training program? That's what we need more of 
, 'cause you know how expensive IT training can be 
!
i think it's so cool that they have a $20m facility and can already create 50 job opportunities 
btw what's AI again? is it like a new kind of computer software or something? 
. I'm also impressed by the partnerships between corporate giants and the city, it shows that there are still some positive players in the business world who care about creating real change 
. It's gonna be life-changing, I can feel it! 400 people on the waitlist already? That's crazy 
.
And the fact that companies are partnering to provide jobs for Xchange graduates? That's what I call a win-win! 
! The new facility in Chicago is like a game changer 
for the community on the South Side. I mean, think about it, they're creating job opportunities from scratch with training programs that are all about tech skills 
. And the best part is, these apprentices can earn some serious cash 
. I'm so hopeful about the future of Chicago's South Side 
!
. I'm all about that #lifechangingincome - who wouldn't want to go from $15k-$30k to $50k-$70k? 
. I'm excited to see the waitlist of 400+ people ready to dive in 
I mean, yay for another shiny new facility popping up on the South Side! $20 million is a pretty penny for a training hub, but hey, who needs affordable healthcare when you can get a fancy tech job, right?