Career/Post Secondary Support

Ombudsman Chicago staff and community partners work with students to ensure they have plans for the future before they graduate. All seniors create a portfolio as they learn about options for life after high school.

The senior portfolio includes:

• A resume
• A cover letter or letter of interest
• Three reference letters
• At least one college application
• At least one application to a community college or technical school
• A FAFSA application for financial aid, as needed
• At least one job application
• One career plan presentation

Ombudsman Chicago offers financial aid workshops at all campuses during the school year and helps parents fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form during parent nights. Ombudsman Chicago also works with local businesses, colleges and universities, and Ladder Up, a local non-profit, to support students as they plan for the future.

Ombudsman Chicago helps every student prepare for the STAR assessment and for the SAT college entrance test.

Ombudsman Chicago students participate in daily activities that prepare them for assessments. Ombudsman Chicago also offers study boot camps where students can get help from certified teachers in small groups or one-on-one before local, state and national tests.

All Ombudsman Chicago campuses host college and career fairs and take tours of local college campuses, including Northeastern University, East West University, City Colleges of Chicago, St. Augustine College and others. Students learn about careers during visits to local companies and company presentations in school.

Ombudsman Chicago has a partnership with City Colleges of Chicago to provide dual credit
opportunities for students.

Students who would like to be in the program are required to complete the application for City
Colleges and be accepted in order to participate.

Depending on the semester, there are in-person and virtual options. Course topics will also vary each semester.

For more information, please contact your post-secondary counselor, who can assist with the
application process and course scheduling.

Ombudsman Chicago participates in the STRIVE Workforce Development Program sponsored by Chicago Public Schools and in the Construction Internship Program, called Chicago Builds. We also have a summer internship program where students work in our schools, and we work with career training and placement agencies such as Metropolitan Family Services and Youth Job Center to help students train for and find jobs.