Service-sector jobs are an increasingly important part of Chicago’s economy. The three industries profiled in this report – hotels, retail, and restaurants – represent nearly 188,000 jobs in the city of Chicago and over 720,000 in the Chicagoland region – nearly one job in five. Beyond this, they are important components of Chicago’s hospitality and tourism infrastructure and key sources of entry-level employment opportunities for individuals with low levels of educational attainment or work experience.

This report, completed for the Chicago Workforce Board with the support of the Joyce Foundation, examines career pathways and crosswalks in the hotel, restaurant and retail industries. The research involved:

-Mapping the structure of jobs, wages, skills and competencies across the three sectors;

-Identifying career pathways and crosswalks that currently exist within and across these sectors,
and where they might be fostered; and

-Identifying key labor market challenges for workers and employers in these sectors.