The Business Student's Guide to Chicago Business Education and Careers   ...for students of Accounting, Administration, MBA Programs, E-commerce, Economics, Management, Marketing and other business fields.

Visit our Complete Directory of Chicago Business Schools and Business Colleges!   by C.J. Gustafson   BusinessSchools.com Contributing Writer   October 20, 2004 Once a small settlement located where the mouth of the Chicago River meets with Lake Michigan, Chicago has grown into a city with nearly 3 million residents according the the 2000 census. Covering an area of 222 square miles, the city boasts 29 miles of lakefront and 33 beaches. Commercially, Chicago began as a railroad center, then added communications, interstates and airplanes. It is home to Merchandise Mart, the world's largest commercial office building; the Chicago Board of Trade, the world's busiest futures exchange; and O'Hare International Airport, which boasts the world's busiest aircraft operations. Impressive Facts and Firsts According to the city's website, Chicago claims several other impressive business facts and firsts. Its $350 billion economy is larger than that of Switzerland or Russia. It is home to 98 corporate headquarters (second only to New York) including 30 Fortune 500 companies. It is ranked #1 in high-technology employment with over 7,000 employers and nearly 350,000 workers in this sector. It is also #1 in manufacturing and has the top urban medical district, offering a wealth of health care careers and nursing careers. Established in 1848, the Chicago Board of Trade originally traded only in agricultural commodities. Today, more than 3,600 members trade 50 different futures and options products at the exchange. 2003 volume was a record-breaking 454 million contracts. Chicago's top 5 public companies (based on revenue generated) are Boeing, Sears, Roebuck and Co., Kraft Foods Inc., Allstate Corp., and Walgreens. The area also is home to some of the country's largest minority-owned companies, such as Johnson Publishing Co., Sayers Group LLC, and Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Entertainment Group. Civil service jobs make up a large portion of the employment demographics in Chicago. The U.S. Government provides 88,000 jobs, making it the largest employer in the area. Chicago Public Schools come in second, and the City of Chicago is third. On an industry level, health care comprises the largest sector with nearly 133,000 employees. Professional services is a close second with just under 125,000 jobs, and the finance and insurance industry is the third largest sector. The Chicago metropolitan area has many business development organizations including the highly active World Business Chicago (WBC), which aggressively markets the competitive advantages of Chicago and the 9-county region to retain and attract business. As described on the World Business Chicago website, "Chicago is a place where middle-class values and neighborhood-focused family living are our highest ideals. We offer America's best big-city quality-of-life, a place where everyone can personalize their pursuit of happiness through one of the world's headiest mixes of culture, education and fun." The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center is an initiative of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. In addition to a host of resources for small and medium sized businesses, the center offers business workshops and "Experts For Free" sessions that are conducted on the third Tuesday of each month by professionals in various business fields. Educational Opportunities Chicago's formal higher education institutions also offer many opportunities for business students. Argosy University has a campus in the city, and Westwood College has campuses in the Chicago Loop, O'Hare, River Oaks and DuPage areas. Colleges and universities that house business-related schools and departments include: Columbia College Chicago, Marketing Communications Department DePaul University, Charles H. Kellstadt Graduate School of Business DePaul University, College of Commerce Illinois Institute of Technology, Stuart School of Business Loyola University Chicago, Graduate School of Business Northeastern Illinois University, College of Business & Management Roosevelt University, Walter E. Heller College of Business Administration University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business University of Illinois - Chicago, College of Business Administration These Chicago educational institutions offer Accounting degrees, Economics degrees, Marketing and Public Relations degrees, and Management degrees in a variety of business fields. They also offer training for e-commerce careers and administration careers. Several schools offer MBA programs as well. In addition, Chicago Workforce Centers, public and private business initiatives, and many other training and development programs provide educational opportunities for employees through general business community and company-based services. Chicago's diverse economy, supportive and active business development organizations, wealth of educational opportunities, and healthy mix of high-profile and small businesses make it a top choice for students seeking careers in business. Top of Page Please enter your comments or suggest a link for this page here !