KRA Partners with Chicago-based Multinational on Critical Hiring Effort
Specialists on KRA’s Career and Business Services Teams support area employers in high-demand industries all across the country.
For the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, KRA operates the Westside American Job Center, as well as the Chatham Education & Workforce Center on the Southside.
Corey Person, KRA Work Based Learning Coordinator, reports, “In 2012, I worked at Mondelēz International as a Job Developer, specializing in OJT placements for Machine Operators. A co-worker, Rita Lopez, and I placed 50+ jobseekers in OJT positions.”
Mondelēz posts average annual revenues of $26 billion, with operations in 160 countries. However, the U.S. is the largest market, resulting in a significant footprint in the Food Production sector—projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 6.1% from 2021 to 2028—of the Nondurable Manufacturing Industry.
In 2019, Person joined the KRA/Chicago family, and in late 2021, reconnected with Ms. Lopez. “We discovered an opportunity for a ‘repeat performance’, partnering on an extremely important campaign, filling up to 40 OJTs for Machine Operators at the Mondelēz Chicago Bakery, to start at $20.94 hourly, with benefits.
“After she introduced me to Christen Chronis, Education & Training Manager, who was impressed immediately with KRA’s Business Services Model for collaborating with large employers, our KRA/Mondelēz team launched into planning for the massive recruitment effort.
“Specifications for OJT candidates vary, from individuals with some equipment-operation experience, to those with transferable skills, such as one customer who formerly operated a Shredding Machine, qualifying him easily for placement.
“In April 2022, we hosted the first of weekly Recruitment & Orientation sessions, which have resulted so far in 10 successful placements. We anticipate filling all positions before the end of the year, and during or after succeeding with this current effort, look forward to supporting Mondelēz with future hiring requirements.”