March 27--Jakeshia Beals, 31, said when she arrived at the CTA nearly three years ago, she was homeless and looking for work.
Beals, who was arrested for drug crimes, began work at a South Side rail shop as part of the CTA's "second chance" program that gives jobs to ex-offenders and hard-to-employ individuals. Nine months later, she worked at the CTA's 74th Street bus garage.
Beals, now a CTA manager, returned to that bus garage Friday morning to help announce the CTA's expansion of the "second chance" progam to include training on how to fix diesel engines in buses starting next month.
"This program has changed my life tremendously," Beals said at the press conference, which was attended by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D) and Mayor Emanuel.
The program currently offers 265 jobs to clean rail cars and service buses to ex-offenders, individuals completing drug-abuse programs, victims of domestic violence and others. CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase said there will be no additional cost for the diesel mechanic course, which will last six months.
The program has gone through some changes over the years. The rail apprentice program was temporarily suspended at the end of 2013 because of a dispute between CTA management and the local rail union Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308. The program was reinstated last year.
Workers are paid at a rate of $9.50 per hour and may work up to 40 hours per week.
Participants may serve for 12 months or longer in the program, under CTA rules. Currently, all terms are scheduled to end Dec. 31.
When the program is over, workers in good standing receive a certificate of completion and letter of reference from the CTA and are encouraged to apply for CTA vacancies.
CTA president Forrest Claypool said at Friday's press conference that 113 of the program's 500-plus participants have been hired permanently by the CTA. Seven of these hirees, including Beals, have become managers.
"This is a critical, critical opportunity," Claypool said.
Beals, who lives on the South Side in the South Chicago community, said she was hired as a rail servicer in November 2013 and was promoted to rail car director in 2014. In July 2014, she was earning $60,750 a year, according to CTA records.
The CTA announcement comes less than two weeks before the April 7 run-off election between Mayor Emanuel and Cook County commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia. The city's unemployment rates, especially on the West and South Sides, has been an election issue.
