Not just the home of Fortune 500 legends, Chicago is also one of the most notable cities for tech innovation. As proven by Chicago startups Slack and Uber, the city is worth the attention it gets from venture capitalists, many of whom formerly made the Windy City known as the world’s center for finance. Beyond tech companies seeking outside support, the business environment in Chicago is based on the founding principles of earning top spots by building from the ground up. Notable IT tech companies that have accomplished success based on talent include Salesforce, Orbitz, Groupon, and Rebox.
Established companies and startups eagerly look forward to TECHSPO, now one of the largest two-day technology shows in the nation, bringing together app developers, brands, marketers, technology providers, designers, and innovators who set the pace in the newest technological advancements. Tech pros impress clients and media, showcasing the most sought-after areas in modern tech, including mobile communications, AdTech, MarTech, and SaaS technology, breaking the mold for a city once thought of primarily for its dominance in the financial world.
Chicago’s top bragging rights still go to all things finance, and the city stays current as a leader in FinTech with fresh faces on the scene. Success stories of startups that shook up the world in cutting-edge finance include Braintree, Cleversafe, and Merge Healthcare, each acquired by corporate leaders including PayPal and IBM. Chicago is a financial powerhouse in many more ways than newer tech examples. The city is home to five major financial exchanges, including the Chicago Stock Exchange, and is the home of a Federal Reserve Bank. The robust financial district is the home of giants like Avant, Halo Investing, and M1 Finance.
Chicago is the nation’s third-largest city and boasts eight Major League sports teams, an enviable location on the shores of Lake Michigan, and a melting pot of art and culture. Recognized as a foodie’s dream as well as a music and theatre lover’s paradise, Chicago has long been a mecca for professionals in any industry—especially finance—to call home with excellent career opportunities and a high-ranking quality of life.
Chicago is also known as the Windy City, which is fitting with four full seasons blowing in from the shores of the largest of America’s Great Lakes. Chicagoans embrace this moniker with a Midwestern sense of humor, claiming the nickname came from a resident who wisely told an out-of-town visitor to “hold onto his hat!” When the weather gets colder, city dwellers devour the Broadway performances and world-class dance programs that come to town. On warm days, when Chicagoans are not found along the twenty-six miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, they can be found in any one of urban outdoor delights, including more than 600 parks, 70 nature and wildlife sanctuaries, and 800 outdoor sports playspaces, all within city limits. With outdoor life such a major focus, it’s no surprise that Chicago has the second-highest percentage of commuters riding their bikes to work.
Legendary locations anchor Chicago, like Wrigley Field, the original House of Blues, the Ravinia Festival Ground, and, not to be missed, The Second City—the comedy club that has launched more Saturday Night Live comedians than anywhere else in the world. With an astounding list of things to do and see too long to list and still be read in a day, Chicago tops the list for a good time.
Careers in technology rule in Chicago, especially in finance. The world of finance is the powerhouse that drives the Windy City, and jobs in technology fuel the fire.
The home of five major financial exchanges, including the Chicago Stock Market and a Federal Reserve Bank, many more financial institutions can be found inside the “Loop, ” an elevated train loop that circles the center of the central business district. It’s not just finance running the city’s economy either. Major tech corporations such as Salesforce, Google, LinkedIn, CNA, Motorola Solutions, Grubhub, and Sprout Social are anchored in Chicago.
Tech careers in Chicago are plentiful, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Noting a local overall job growth rate of 7.3%, the highest in-demand fields include Statisticians, Computer/Information Research Scientists, Information Security Analysts, Software Developers, and Operations Research Analysts, with an astounding 20% increase in jobs in those areas predicted in the next decade. Sectors with the highest job increase percentages include software publishing, educational support services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and computer systems design services.
High salaries make it possible for workers to decide if they’d like to live in the heart of the city or commute to any one of the 100 satellite neighborhoods. Just outside of the central business district, commuters take the train to outlying suburbs such as Lake Forest, Winnetka, Oak Park, and Evanston, to name a few of the locations established more than a century ago.
Chicago is famous for professional sports, but not every activity has to include loud cheering. World-famous collections at The Field Museum and The Art Institute of Chicago house displays invoke awe from residents and visitors alike. Movie fans will love Chicago’s reputation as the backdrop for classic films like The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Risky Business. Touring the area to see the sites wouldn’t be complete without a famous Chicago Red-Hot hot dog or a slice of Chicago-style pizza, found through numerous locations wherever one goes in the Windy City.
With excellent job security for tech careers in Chicago, residents enjoy travel, made easy by Chicago O’Hare Airport. An additional benefit of having one of the largest airports in America is the draw for many of the nation’s largest tech conferences to visit the city such as TECHSPO Chicago, an event big enough to fill Soldier Field.
Salaries in any sector of technology pay big in Chicago. The city is a hotbed for the field of Digital Design, with starting salaries for designers at $76,000 and other tech areas reaching well into six figures. With an average household income for a one-bedroom home in the Chicago area at $66,000, it’s hard to consider anywhere other than the city for a tech career.
The city of Chicago is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, making it easy to find technology classes within the city limits or north towards Evanston. More than twenty-five schools offer a range of courses across a vast array of technology subjects in Chicago, including design, coding, FinTech, cybersecurity, and many more fields. Most schools offer in-person, live online, and on-demand options, allowing students to choose how they’d like to learn. Two schools, Certstaffix and ONLC, hold classes in a computer lab preloaded with the latest equipment and software, led by a live, off-site instructor. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, has compiled a list of the top schools and the subjects they offer.
Chicago offers more than 70 in-person graphic design-related classes, all in close proximity to the center of the city, and one further north, located in Evanston. Those wanting to pursue a design career have more than enough options to learn any type of design area they desire, and many schools also offer live, online options. Types of programs that can be found include bootcamps/immersives, certificates, and classes. Topics across the graphic design spectrum are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Visual Design, and UX Design. Some schools in the Chicago area are Ledet Training, Training Connections, Future Media Concepts, CTS Training, Ascend, New Horizons, and General Assembly. Additionally, two schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold classes in a computer lab with equipment preloaded with the latest software and a live instructor teaching remotely.
One example from New Horizons, located in the center of town, is a UX Design Immersive. This user experience (UX) design program provides in-depth instruction for those with little or no UX to learn the standard tools and concepts needed to launch their UX career. Students start their journey with the fundamentals and move forward into affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing. Also included in this comprehensive bootcamp is instruction in UI foundations, design iteration, and best practices when working on a design team and with clients.
Schools that offer in-person Data Science classes and bootcamps in Chicago include five institutions offering thirty-two courses, including bootcamps that provide hands-on instruction in this fast-growing field. Subjects within the realm of Data Science include Python, SQL, Machine Learning, and R. The schools that offer a range of data science courses in Chicago are Metis, Flatiron School, Data Science Dojo, Coding Dojo, Northwestern University (in Evanston), Practical Programming, CTC, Coding Temple, New Horizons, and General Assembly. Additionally, Certstaffix holds data science classes in a Chicago computer lab led by a live, off-site instructor.
One example of an in-person Data Science Bootcamp is General Assembly’s Data Science Immersive, which follows a curriculum guided by the Data Science Standards Board and includes Python, data analysis, and statistical models. Additionally, students branch into machine learning with algorithms of increasing complexity, from decision trees and random forests to natural language processing and neural networks.
For in-person classes and bootcamps in Chicago in Web Development, students can choose from eight schools with traditional classrooms and two schools offering live instruction in a state-of-the-art computer lab led by a live, off-site instructor. Schools that hold web development programs include CTS, Ascend, Full Stack Academy, Coding Temple, Training Connection, Flatiron, General Assembly, and Ledet Training. Hybrid-style schools that offer computer lab access and a remote instructor are ONLC and Certstaffix.
One example of an in-person web development class is Open Source HTML & CSS 101 by Ledet Training. Students in this course develop confidence in web development by applying skills in HTML and CSS to create and publish a website. This course shows best practices in web development such as how to layout a webpage, use design elements such as color and text, and the proper use of multi-column layouts. Additionally, students learn how to create forms for data collection.
There are an astounding eighty-nine options from fifteen schools to choose from for in-person Coding classes and bootcamps in Chicago. Schools in the area include Grace Hopper, Fullstack Academy, Coding Dojo, Data Science Dojo, Northwestern University, Metis, Actualize, Practical Programming, CTS, Coding Temple, Training Connections, Ascend, General Assembly, New Horizons, and Ledet. Twelve of these schools offer live, online courses and provide a way for students to take classes from wherever they choose. Additionally, two schools in the Chicago area hold their coding classes in a dedicated computer lab, with instruction from a live, remote instructor. All courses take students through the learning process step-by-step and provide object-based experiential learning experiences. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, also has numerous courses held live and online to choose from.
In this subject, students can find coding-related options in web development, data science, computer science, iOS development, front-end development, back-end development, Python, JavaScript, Java, SQL, HTML & CSS, and PHP & MySQL. Offerings range from comprehensive and immersive bootcamps to extensive information certificates and classes. Most courses are also available live and online and offer a variety of times and lengths. For more extensive programs, financial assistance is often available.
One example of a program offered in Chicago is Coding Dojo’s Coding Bootcamp, a fourteen-week full-time program that delves deep into all it takes to become a full-stack engineer. In this immersive session, students gain hands-on, real-world experience with fewer focus on theory. Graduates are able to begin their coding career in a much shorter time frame than most other multi-year programs and benefit from career coaching. Topics covered during this bootcamp include the fundamentals of front-end development with lessons in HTML and CSS and Python to set up the back-end.
Those looking for in-person Web Design classes and bootcamps in Chicago can choose from schools that are located in central Chicago. Subjects within web design include front-end web development, visual design, UX design, WordPress, HTML & CSS, JavaScript & jQuery, Sketch, and Adobe XD. Courses include bootcamps and hands-on classes, ranging from three hours to twelve weeks. A wide variety of programs related to web design are offered by schools, including Ledet Training, Training Connections, New Horizons, CTS, Ascend, and General Assembly. Two schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold courses in dedicated computer labs, led in real-time by off-site instructors. Additional courses held live and online are offered by Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool.
An example of a web design-related program is the UX Design Immersive offered at General Assembly. This deep dive into user experience (UX) provides students with little to no experience an opportunity to learn the standard tools and concepts that launch their careers. Students in this program start their UX journeys by learning UX fundamentals, including the design process, affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing. The course progresses further, looking into User Interface foundations, design interaction, and development, as well as best practices when working on a product development team.
Chicago is one of the hottest places to work in the field of Digital Marketing. In-person Digital Marketing classes and bootcamps in Chicago are plentiful and include Google Analytics, Google Ads, SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and ecommerce. Schools that present an array of digital marketing programs and topics include Boot Camp Digital, Ascend, CTS, New Horizons, Ledet Training, and General Assembly. These schools all offer live online classes, and two additional schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold courses in computer labs with a live, remote instructor available for immediate assistance.
For example, 1Chicago school, General Assembly, has SEO Essentials—Introduction to Search Engine Optimization, essential for all online marketing efforts. This two-day introductory workshop is an experiential learning session that teaches search engine optimization best practices and the skills necessary to execute them. Specific topics include keyword research, content creation, manual optimization, click-through rate improvement, and SERP ranking optimization. The session also covers how to avoid pitfalls, search basics, blog optimization, and SEO creativity.
Top schools in Chicago that offer in-person Python courses and bootcamp training include Practical Programming and General Assembly, along with Northwestern University, located in Evanston. Two additional schools offer classes in computer labs with preloaded professional-level software and are led by a live, off-site instructor. Python is essential for most careers in technology, and certain professions require knowledge in specific syntaxes of the language. Instruction in Python for all levels and career-related topics can be found throughout the schools listed and offered live online, as well as on-demand by Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool.
An example of a Chicago school that offers a course in Python is General Assembly. Their beginner-friendly Python course is designed to teach coding through a hands-on approach by building Python programs and working with data. This course covers key programming concepts such as data science fundamentals and culminates with a project incorporating the use of APIs to pull third-party data.
In Chicago, students can take in-person courses and bootcamps in video editing from schools located in convenient locations around the central business district. Video editing classes are fast-paced, hands-on learning experiences that range from two to ten days. Schools located in the city include Ascend, Training Connections, Future Media Concepts, CTS, and Ledet Training. Additionally, Certstaffix offers courses in a fully-equipped computer lab led by a live, off-site instructor. General areas of study in video editing include motion graphics, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.
For example, a course offered by one school, Ledet Training, is the Adobe Video Production Premium Bootcamp, an intensive ten-day program that allows students to master After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Audition. Premiere Pro is used because of its video editing abilities, After Effects for its graphics capabilities, and Audition is used for mixing abilities. This bootcamp allows students to make jaw-dropping videos using multiple print or digital canvases. Specific topics in the curriculum include formatting a script, collaborating in a virtual environment, editing moving and still images, creating motion graphics, and audio mixes.
In-person UX Design classes and bootcamps in Chicago are offered by three prominent schools, Ledet, Ascend, and General Assembly, all of which are located between Lake Shore Drive and I-90 in the center of the city. The location of the schools provides ample opportunity to inspire designers, with multiple galleries and parks nestled alongside some of Chicago's largest tech companies. These schools offer comprehensive overviews of the user experience (UX) and place particular emphasis on Sketch and Adobe XD.
One example of a user design-focused class from General Assembly is their UX Design Immersive. This beginner-friendly bootcamp provides all of the information a student needs to get started in UX Design. Beginning with the foundations and fundamentals in UX, students learn about the design process, affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing. Throughout the course, students practice UI foundations, including design iteration and development and best practices when working with a product development team.
Students have a choice of thirty-one unique in-person Excel classes and bootcamps in downtown Chicago. All Excel sessions range from three hours to three days and are provided by top-notch schools, including Training Connection, CTS, Ledet Training, General Assembly, and New Horizons. The need to have Excel skills stretches into most areas of a professional career, so general and specific classes in the software are available face-to-face, live and online, or on-demand. Two more schools, ONLC and Certstaffix, hold their Excel courses in computer labs, with a live remote instructor available for assistance during class time.
Prime examples of Excel workshops are those from New Horizons, aptly titled Excel 2019—Part 1,2, and 3. Each one-day seminar provides tricks and tips helpful for all professionals, from those with little computer experience to advanced users. Classes progress from the basics, like manipulating and organizing data, navigating the interface, managing workbooks, and performing calculations, onto advanced topics such as using lookup functions, creating and deployment of macros, and the use of the goal seek feature.
Chicago’s robust corporate infrastructure requires professionals with exceptional tech skills. Noble Desktop, the creator of this tool, offers an opportunity to invest in a team or entire workforce with corporate onsite technology training. Noble Desktop will bring a course to your location to provide the most up-to-date information employees must have to stay ahead of the competition. Companies also have the option to obtain vouchers for employees to attend open enrollment group classes available on a regular schedule. There is a discount on the purchase of multiple vouchers. Contact Noble Desktop to plan your next onsite corporate tech training sessions.