Chicago Cook Technology Academy
About the Chicago Cook Technology Academy
Cook County has partnered with Microsoft and National Able Network to form the Chicago Cook Technology Academy, a free 13-week program that provides veterans with critical career skills in the technology industry. Participants are trained in cloud development or cloud administration and upon completion will have the opportunity to interview for full-time positions in this field.
Training is delivered in-person by IT Career Lab expert instructors Monday to Thursday and via Zoom on Fridays IT Career Lab is a division of National Able Network that trains and prepares students to earn industry-recognized certifications.
Click here to complete the Tech Academy application.
Classes are focused on Microsoft Cloud Technology (Azure) and Computer Networking (Cisco Certified Support Technician – Networking)
About Cisco Certified Support Technician – Networking
The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Networking class is for those interested in computer networking, The class does a deep-dive into Cisco Networking, covering the following topics: computer networking standards and concepts, addressing and subnet formats, endpoints and media types, networking infrastructure, diagnosing problems, networking security. The course prepares individuals for the CCST Networking certification exam, 50-minute test taken either online or via a Certiport testing center.
About Microsoft Azure Program Components
After completing the Cisco Networking curriculum, students begin studying for the AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals and AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator credentials. This course teaches IT professionals how to manage their Azure subscriptions, secure user identities, administer Microsoft-cloud infrastructure, configure virtual networking, implement storage solutions, create virtual machines, implement web apps and more.
Class Schedule
Classes are anticipated to begin during the following timeframes:
- October 20, 2025
- March 9, 2026
- July 13. 2026
Required Documentation
Once accepted into the Tech Academy, the following materials will be collected during orientation, which is held the week before class begins:
- DD214 form (or transition orders) – eligible participants who have been discharged from military service must have received either an honorable or general discharge
- Driver's license (to make an official copy)
Questions
If you have any questions about the Tech Academy, please email IT Career Lab at info@itcareerlab.org or call 312-994-4200.
How to Apply
Veterans interested in learning more about this opportunity can attend an information session hosted by IT Career Lab: https://www.itcareerlab.org/calendar/
Follow these steps to complete the application:
- Click here to complete the Tech Academy application.
- Work with an IT Career Lab recruitment and admissions consultant to verify eligibility for grant funding.
Once a veteran is both accepted into the program and approved for grant funding, they’ll receive details about enrollment and orientation for the next class start date.