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Boat Captains Chicago

The USMA Chicago, LLC Captain’s Registry is your resource for Chicago area U.S. Coast Guard Licensed boat captains. Whether you need a Charter Captain, Delivery Captain, a licensed professional to teach you how to safely operate your new boat or just a Captain for the day so you can entertain clients or guests, this listing can fill all of your needs.

Captains and Opportunities

To locate a charter captain, a captain for hire, paid positions for mariners, or businesses by former students, select from the options below.

Find a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain for your boat, charter boat captains with their own sail or power boats, fishing boat operators, and boat delivery captains.

Find listings of marine-relatedbusinesses operated by our USMA Chicago, LLC graduates, located in the Greater Chicago Area, Lake Michigan, and the Great Lakes.

Find a job working in the Greater Chicago area maritime industry — working on a charter boat, on a tour boat, on a cruise ship as a deckhand, as a mate, or as a captain.

USMA Graduates

Since 2008 the US Maritime Academy Chicago Captains Class is "the benchmark" for U.S. Coast Guard approved Master 100-ton and OUPV (6-pack) Captains License training in the Chicago area.

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Yachting in Chicago, IL

Whether you want to cruise the Chicago River or go out into Lake Michigan and tie up at the Playpen, the Windy City is one of the most popular American cities for summer day charters. Don’t forget to book early for busy weekends and every Wednesday and Saturday for the Navy Pier fireworks!

38' Meridian

51' Sea Ray

32' Wellcraft Martinique

35' Sea Ray

38' Sea Ray

47' Carver

54' Sea Ray

40' Formula

50' Sea Ray

54' Sea Ray Sundancer

45' Azimut Atlantis

48' Sunseeker Portofino

45' Prestige

60' Sunseeker Predator

60' Sea Ray

40' Sunseeker

55' Prestige

Why charter a yacht in chicago, il, .css-1uazooj{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);font-size:1rem;-webkit-padding-start:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-inline-start:var(--chakra-space-4);-webkit-padding-end:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-inline-end:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-top:var(--chakra-space-2);padding-bottom:var(--chakra-space-2);padding:10px 16px;}.css-1uazooj:focus-visible,.css-1uazooj[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-1uazooj:hover,.css-1uazooj[data-hover]{background:var(--chakra-colors-blackalpha-50);}.css-1uazooj[disabled],.css-1uazooj[aria-disabled=true],.css-1uazooj[data-disabled]{opacity:0.4;cursor:not-allowed;} .css-1pkhz46{font-size:var(--chakra-fontsizes-sm);font-weight:600;-webkit-flex:1;-ms-flex:1;flex:1;text-align:left;} how do i book a yacht on yachtlife .css-g5ledl{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:currentcolor;vertical-align:middle;font-size:8px;}, when is my payment collected is it refundable.

Once you confirm your reservation, your broker will process your payment.

• If you are booking for a single day and your reservation is confirmed more than 7 days in advance, a deposit of either $1,000 USD or 50% of the total cost of the reservation (whichever is greater) is processed immediately in order to hold the yacht. Once your embarkation date is 7 days away, the remainder of the amount due is processed.
• If you are booking for a single day and your reservation is made 7 days or less in advance, the total price of your reservation is processed immediately.
• If you are booking for a multi-day charter and your reservation is confirmed more than 30 days in advance, a deposit of 50% of the cost of the yacht is processed immediately in order to hold the yacht. Once your embarkation date is 30 days away, the other 50% is collected for the price of the yacht, plus the APA, plus the taxes due.

Terms of refunds are dictated by the Charter Agreement. Generally, once a payment is collected, it is non-refundable. In certain circumstances, as dictated by the Charter Agreement, credits can be provided so you will be able to enjoy your yacht charter at a future date that is convenient for you.

Why is there a 3% credit card convenience charge?

Are my payment details saved on the app, what if your servers get hacked is my payment information really safe.

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Students Explore Marketing and Communications Careers with Chicago Alumni

By julia perez | march 29, 2024.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan students interested in marketing and communications jobs spent their spring break in Chicago engaging with alumni who work in the field during the annual Career Immersion Excursion organized by the Hart Career Center. 

The Career Immersion Excursion has helped IWU students make connections in their field of interest through site visits and alumni speakers since 2016. Each trip centers around a different career field, with past trips focusing on healthcare, business and politics in locations like New York City, Dallas and Washington, D.C. 

Led by Hart Career Center staff Director Warren Kistner '83, Associate Director Kelly Bay and Assistant Director Patrick Zajac '18, 21 students attended this year’s four-day trip to Chicago during spring break.

Students heard from a panel of young alumni including Rachel White ‘22, Brad Blalock ‘19 and Rick Smith ‘22. The group toured multiple organizations with Titan employees, such as C+R Research, Circana, Kelly Scott Madison, Digitas, Starcom, Publicis, Access2Insight, Zapwater, Leo Burnett, Wilson and Avoq. The group toured the Chicago Bulls headquarters with the team’s Associate General Counsel Andrew Herrington-Gilmore ‘09 before attending a Bulls game. 

“Students learn directly from alumni and friends of the University while witnessing firsthand the success of our graduates,” said Kistner. “Our alumni have been incredibly generous with their time and talents.” 

President of Kelly Scott Madison Chad Maxwell ‘02 said students were engaged and grateful for the interaction with marketing and advertising professionals, and that it was rewarding to help students visualize future career possibilities. 

“What was most rewarding to me personally, however, was helping them connect the dots between who they are as people/professionals, the skills and experiences at IWU and liberal arts, and what the world of marketing needs,” said Maxwell. “Too often, graduates underestimate what they’re capable of, or what they should seek out in a career. Helping them see the inner workings of how businesses are built, how they fit, and the conviction, confidence and courage they can show is a real treat.”

A highlight every year, said Kistner, is when IWU alumni take small groups of students out to dinner for further networking and relationship building. 

“This opportunity is something that students truly value and we can market to prospective students. I hope that students have a clearer understanding of the various career paths they can take,” said Kistner, adding that the resumes of participating students are shared with professional contacts during the trip, often leading to internships and employment.

Michele Park '10, director of planning with Starcom under Publicis Media, said connecting with the IWU students was a “full-circle moment.”

“It was such a pleasure meeting all of them and to show them to the world of advertising and media. It was also a personal joy because my career at Publicis would have never started if it wasn't for the Career Center connecting me to an alumna. My hope for the students is that the connections they made on this trip will lead them to well-deserved great places," said Park.

While the trip was focused on careers in communication, advertising, marketing and public relations, the students attending represented a wide range of majors from acting and art to political science and philosophy. 

Aidan Herbert ‘24 is studying acting and hopes to find a job in sales after graduation. 

“I’ve always liked the personal aspect of making sales and building a strong connection with prospective buyers. I was absolutely able to gain experience on this trip in that field,” said Herbert.

Learning from and connecting with young alumni was Herbert’s favorite aspect of the Career Immersion Excursion.

“Everyone should take this trip during their time at IWU,” he said. “Everyone could take away something different and special.”

  English literature major Katie Staroszcyk ‘24 said she plans to pursue a creative career after graduation, and her goals were solidified by this opportunity through the Career Center. 

"I realized I could apply my creative skills in more than just artsy ways, especially in the business world,” said Staroszcyk. “The Career Immersion Excursion was exactly what I needed. The trip was very eye opening because I learned about a lot of roles that I didn't know existed for English majors.” 

Staroszcyk said she was interested by the way each organization they toured offered a different culture and atmosphere. 

“All of the alumni we met were so generous and you could tell they genuinely wanted to help you find your way. Networking with them was incredible and helped me visualize my path after college so much clearer,” said Staroszcyk.

For more information about upcoming career fairs and events, internships and additional career guidance, visit www.iwu.edu/career-center .

The highest-paying jobs in Chicago that only require a 2-year degree

Posted: March 28, 2024 | Last updated: March 28, 2024

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Chicago

Although it all depends on what you make of it, choosing to further your education may lead to higher paying job opportunities. An associate's degree takes just two years and offers more affordable tuition rates than a four-year school. As of April 2022, the average yearly salary for an individual with an associate's degree comes out to $45,989.

Students have a plethora of specialties to choose from when obtaining a 2-year degree, from industry-specific roles in health care or IT or a more generalized education path. Salaries differ between areas of study, job type, experience, and, of course, location. A Georgetown University study that looked at job growth and education requirements through 2020 stated that 30% of job openings required "at least some college or an associate's degree." Students can choose to head right into the workforce after earning an associate's, or continue their education toward earning a bachelor's degree.

The unemployment rate for associate's degree holders is only 2%, according to research from the Education Data Initiative. Having an associate's degree under your belt is proven to increase one's chance of holding a professional or management position in any number of industries, among them education and health, wholesale retail and trade, and professional and business services.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying jobs that require a 2-year degree in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#36. Dietetic technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $28,530 - #93 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 610 National - Annual mean salary: $32,920 - Employment: 26,430 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,550) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,700) --- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,370)

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $36,650 - #153 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 15,230 National - Annual mean salary: $36,550 - Employment: 370,940 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990) --- Ocean City, NJ ($49,720) --- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)

#34. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $42,200 - #178 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 2,880 National - Annual mean salary: $44,170 - Employment: 108,470 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,080) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,410) --- Napa, CA ($54,120)

#33. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $44,600 - #21 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 3,260 National - Annual mean salary: $37,860 - Employment: 109,490 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,990) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,220) --- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($51,340)

#32. Medical equipment repairers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $50,090 - #138 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,760 National - Annual mean salary: $55,090 - Employment: 48,510 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($84,820) --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,030) --- Reno, NV ($83,450)

#31. Forest and conservation technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $50,760 - #13 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 330 National - Annual mean salary: $42,780 - Employment: 30,150 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($68,370) --- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,570) --- Corvallis, OR ($62,260)

#30. Broadcast technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $50,810 - #25 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 530 National - Annual mean salary: $49,250 - Employment: 25,960 - Metros with highest average pay: --- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($75,430) --- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($70,990) --- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,950)

#29. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $51,360 - #60 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 500 National - Annual mean salary: $50,960 - Employment: 31,860 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($79,780) --- Huntsville, AL ($78,320) --- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($76,970)

#28. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $55,530 - #38 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 240 National - Annual mean salary: $56,570 - Employment: 17,070 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,240) --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($81,340) --- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($74,280)

#27. Chemical technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $57,120 - #57 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,780 National - Annual mean salary: $53,700 - Employment: 63,490 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Billings, MT ($86,340) --- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($79,390) --- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($78,000)

#26. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $59,000 - #97 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,710 National - Annual mean salary: $60,940 - Employment: 55,980 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($99,130) --- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($94,400) --- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,140)

#25. Physical therapist assistants

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $61,470 - #129 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 3,220 National - Annual mean salary: $59,440 - Employment: 92,740 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($85,960) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,740) --- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($76,390)

#24. Paralegals and legal assistants

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $61,920 - #38 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 11,990 National - Annual mean salary: $56,610 - Employment: 332,720 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($90,640) --- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($76,960) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,640)

#23. Mechanical drafters

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $63,130 - #70 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,220 National - Annual mean salary: $61,490 - Employment: 51,620 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,540) --- Corpus Christi, TX ($90,720) --- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($82,590)

#22. Occupational therapy assistants

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $64,700 - #82 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,930 National - Annual mean salary: $63,420 - Employment: 42,750 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,570) --- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,720) --- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($77,650)

#21. Respiratory therapists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $65,100 - #108 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 4,010 National - Annual mean salary: $65,640 - Employment: 131,890 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,450) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,330) --- Santa Rosa, CA ($101,690)

#20. Desktop publishers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $66,040 - #4 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 50 National - Annual mean salary: $50,600 - Employment: 7,090 - Metros with highest average pay: --- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,880) --- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,860) --- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,400)

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $66,980 - #14 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 740 National - Annual mean salary: $59,000 - Employment: 24,560 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area ($82,420) --- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($79,240) --- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($73,940)

#18. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $67,220 - #32 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,320 National - Annual mean salary: $60,880 - Employment: 39,880 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Baton Rouge, LA ($112,580) --- North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($91,580) --- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($91,550)

#17. Architectural and civil drafters

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $67,470 - #16 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 2,000 National - Annual mean salary: $59,120 - Employment: 99,180 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($76,060) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,700) --- Anchorage, AK ($75,650)

#16. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $67,530 - #34 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,100 National - Annual mean salary: $59,920 - Employment: 62,980 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($94,360) --- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($90,460) --- Baton Rouge, LA ($86,020)

#15. Avionics technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $67,720 - #25 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 300 National - Annual mean salary: $69,180 - Employment: 21,390 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,470) --- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($87,670) --- California-Lexington Park, MD ($83,930)

#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $69,190 - #73 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 6,380 National - Annual mean salary: $64,840 - Employment: 206,720 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($127,890) --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($118,480) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,100)

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $70,270 - #91 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 2,200 National - Annual mean salary: $68,310 - Employment: 115,270 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area ($99,890) --- Fort Collins, CO ($91,980) --- Bakersfield, CA ($90,780)

#12. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $70,480 - #25 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,340 National - Annual mean salary: $56,590 - Employment: 67,270 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,190) --- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($83,250) --- Baton Rouge, LA ($81,340)

#11. Computer network support specialists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $73,530 - #50 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 9,500 National - Annual mean salary: $71,040 - Employment: 184,220 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,120) --- Barnstable Town, MA ($93,670) --- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($92,190)

#10. Electrical and electronics drafters

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $75,330 - #13 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 380 National - Annual mean salary: $65,720 - Employment: 23,020 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,380) --- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($86,920) --- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($83,760)

#9. Dental hygienists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $79,540 - #124 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 6,960 National - Annual mean salary: $78,050 - Employment: 194,830 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($125,750) --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,660) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($119,320)

#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $80,350 - #44 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 1,870 National - Annual mean salary: $75,960 - Employment: 39,270 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,590) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,930) --- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($120,550)

#7. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $85,190 - #68 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 2,380 National - Annual mean salary: $77,790 - Employment: 73,920 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,110) --- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($137,140) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,080)

#6. Funeral home managers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $86,700 - #18 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 220 National - Annual mean salary: $91,530 - Employment: 10,010 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,760) --- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ($115,400) --- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,820)

#5. Nuclear medicine technologists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $87,470 - #25 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 570 National - Annual mean salary: $82,080 - Employment: 17,510 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($149,860) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($148,240) --- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($135,080)

#4. Radiation therapists

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $87,510 - #39 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 460 National - Annual mean salary: $94,300 - Employment: 17,390 - Metros with highest average pay: --- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($169,080) --- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($159,660) --- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($131,960)

#3. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $87,920 - #4 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 240 National - Annual mean salary: $62,800 - Employment: 13,160 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($99,720) --- West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($99,380) --- Midland, TX ($98,040)

#2. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $95,360 - #1 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 210 National - Annual mean salary: $60,790 - Employment: 13,210 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($95,360) --- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($82,470) --- Trenton, NJ ($80,110)

#1. Air traffic controllers

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI - Annual mean salary: $158,210 - #1 highest pay among all metros - Employment: 720 National - Annual mean salary: $127,440 - Employment: 22,190 - Metros with highest average pay: --- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($158,210) --- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($154,180) --- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($153,770)

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Blommer to Close Chicago Chocolate Factory After 85 Years

Say goodbye to that chocolate smell and 250 jobs

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After more than eight decades, Blommer Chocolate is closing its factory at the end of May . The factory opened in 1939, and while chocolate connoisseurs can’t find Blommer by its name on store shelves, the factory makes confections for some of the country’s more popular brands. But for most Chicagoans, especially ones close to downtown Chicago and neighborhoods like West Loop, River West, and West Town near the factory, locals remained enamored due to the random aroma of chocolate wafting from the building into surrounding neighborhoods.

The Sun-Times reports the closure at 600 W. Kinzie Street will cost 250 jobs. The headquarters will remain in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart. In a news release, Blommer mentions a shift in operations. They’re opening a research and development center this fall at the Mart. A Blommer rep didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Chocolate making can be a thorny subject, where foreign farmers are often exploited. Despite its place as a civic institution, Blommer hasn’t escaped controversy over the years. In 2005, the EPA cited the factory for alleged clean-air violations due to smells coming out of the building. The federal agency responded to an anonymous complaint and argued the cocoa dust wafting from the factory was pollution.

One of the city’s best Korean restaurants, Perilla Korean American Fare , stands across the street from the factory. Co-owner Thomas Oh tells Eater that he often uses Blommer as a landmark. Customers might not be familiar with the intersection of Kinzie and Milwaukee, but they instantly know the factory. Before Blommer closed its store in 2020, staff would often stop in to purchase chocolate-covered almonds and other treats.

Oh did recall a quirky episode immediately after Perilla opened in 2019 when a customer complained on Yelp about the chocolate smell on their way to the restaurant: “How does that have to do with anything we are providing you?” Oh says with a laugh.

There’s no word on what will happen to the 5.5-acre site. Oh says he hopes for a new development that will bring more potential customers to the area.

Chicago, where a baseball stadium is named after the founder of a chewing gum company, is often called “the candy capital of the universe.” The National Confectioners Association was founded 140 years ago in Chicago. But that title might be in jeopardy after Blommer’s shutter. As is the custom, Chicagoans often will add an extra “s” at the end of the company’s name. It’s “Blommers” in the same tradition of “The Jewels” and “Soldiers Field.”

Earlier this year, Mars opened a new global research and development hub on its Goose Island campus. This is where experimental M&M’s flavors and Snickers test bars are made. The $42 million wing will allow for more experiments, and hopefully more variety on store shelves.

Blommer says it’s investing $100 million in other production facilities in Pennsylvania, California; and Ontario, Canada. Fuji Oil Holdings, a Japanese company, bought Blommers in 2018 and they closed down the factory store in 2020. They’re the No. 1 cocoa processor in North America, according to Crain ’s, which broke the story .

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Politics | DCFS, under a new leader and following years of…

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Politics | DCFS, under a new leader and following years of criticism, seeks a new wave of workers

Kristina Permitin traveled 90 miles from Roscoe, Illinois, to a job fair in a spacious basketball gymnasium on Chicago’s West Side to see what working at the state’s child welfare agency was all about.

Having studied health sciences at Northern Illinois University, she said she’s willing to merely get her foot in the door at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, perhaps starting with an office job to work her way up to possibly investigating cases of kids being abused or neglected.

“I know there’s a lot of problems in our society and not only with children, but in general,” Permitin said. “And I feel like I have this … energy and knowledge to help them to solve their problems.”

Permitin was among a couple hundred people who attended the employment expo at the Rusu-McCartin Boys & Girls Club to check out opportunities from DCFS and other government agencies, including the Illinois State Police, Chicago Fire Department and U.S. Postal Service.

The hiring event comes at a significant time for DCFS, which has been regularly criticized from government watchdogs to elected officials. In the last five years, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been a regular target of that criticism as the agency he oversees was accused of poorly handling some of its investigations and failing to get troubled youths into the right places quickly.

It also comes as the governor seeks to put more investment into the state’s historically troubled child welfare agency. On the day of Pritzker’s annual State of the State and budget address before the Illinois General Assembly last month, the governor’s office proposed additional funding of more than $76 million for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, which includes funding for 392 more workers to support DCFS caseloads.

About three hours into the event on Friday, DCFS chief of staff Jassen Strokosch said he’d spoken in the past to people with teaching, law enforcement and social work backgrounds who didn’t feel fulfilled in their work and wanted to change careers into the child welfare field to fill that void.

“There’s something about doing this work where folks are just not feeling like they’re having the impact in other industries and they’re being drawn to child welfare as a way to really change the lives of children and families,” Strokosch said.

In the last two decades, DCFS has seen massive turnover and controversy, going through more than a dozen directors. It’s a job referred to by many Springfield insiders as one of the toughest in state government.

When Marc Smith stepped down earlier this year after nearly five years as head of the agency, his tumultuous tenure included a scathing report from the state’s auditor general — released last year — that cited numerous problems at DCFS, including significant delays in reporting abuse and neglect cases to local prosecutors, other state agencies and school officials.

Pritzker has since appointed Heidi Mueller, his former head of the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice, as Smith’s replacement. In a brief interview with the Tribune earlier this month, Mueller noted the importance of the governor’s proposed $100 million in capital grants to increase the capacity of adequate housing for youths.

“For me, it’s very important to say that we’re not talking about big warehouses,” Mueller said. “We’re not talking about shoving kids in a bed. We’re talking about creating the sorts of places that kids can really thrive, and where they’re treated the way I would want my own child treated.”

At Friday’s event, many attendees with different levels of experience, including a high school student, stopped by the DCFS table to talk with volunteers about a possible career with the agency.

Christine Holt brought her resume to the event and talked to one of the volunteers, who told her about what it takes to be an investigator or caseworker.

“The idea that a person could use their career time and their skills and their energy to ensure safety is definitely something that’s appealing to me as someone who’s worked with kids myself for many, many years,” said Holt, who leads a team of children’s care workers for a church.

Axandria Mason said she worked before in a residential treatment facility, helping teenage boys who were wards of the state, and also at Catholic Charities assisting homeless mothers and babies. She said she’s been interested in working for DCFS for a year.

“You have to be personable and relating to people, have empathy for those, the clients in your care,” Mason said. “I feel like I’ve gained deeper connections with people, and (am) able to understand the traumas and the type of effects it’s having on their personal lives.”

Kelly McCaskill said she retired in 2019 after working in the Cook County Health system and, before that, she worked as a child welfare specialist for a private agency, where her duties included monitoring children for court cases and handling paperwork related to adoptions.

“I just feel like I still have something to give, and so, why should my skill set remain dormant?” McCaskill said. “We have to protect the next generation because we don’t want them to engage in a lot of (bad) behavior, because we know that their past is definitely going to affect their future as future husbands, wives, parents.”

More in Politics

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Daily Southtown | Calumet City leaders spar as Ald Monet Wilson accuses Mayor Thaddeus Jones of disabling her email account

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• ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Sex lawsuit against Sean 'Diddy' Combs adds Cuba Gooding Jr. as defendant

LOS ANGELES -- Allegations against music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs are expanding to include another well-known entertainment figure.

A music producer who sued Combs for sexual assault last month is adding Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. to that complaint.

Rodney Jones claims the actor sexually harassed and assaulted him while aboard Combs' yacht last year.

Gooding has not publicly commented on the allegations.

This comes days after federal agents raided Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami.

He has not been charged with any crime but the investigation surrounding the sexual misconduct allegations is growing.

Diddy has denied all accusations.

Meantime new video shows the arrest of Brendan Paul - Combs' alleged drug mule. The 25-year-old was arrested Monday in Miami.

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Immigrants were on the job when the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed

The construction workers gave their lives as they worked to maintain the bridge, doing a job that too few americans are either able or trained to take..

Crushed shipping containers are seen March 29 on the bow of the Dali after it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The bridge collapsed at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, after being struck by the massive cargo ship. The accident has temporarily closed the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest and busiest on the East Coast.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty

The bodies of two missing construction workers, victims in the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, were recovered from the Patapsco River on Wednesday. Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, was from Guatemala. Alejandro Hernández Fuentes, 35, was from Mexico.

Another victim, one of four still missing on Friday and presumed dead, was also from Mexico, as was a rescued worker who survived the collapse, Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador , said.

A missing worker identified as Miguel Luna was from El Salvador. Another missing man, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, was from Honduras. Another whose identity has not been made public was from Guatemala.

These workers — all immigrants — gave their lives as they worked to maintain the bridge for millions who use it. Sure, they got a paycheck and a chance at a better life, which is why most immigrants come to the U.S. They also were doing a job that Americans by and large no longer want to do.

Construction is a dangerous business. Accidents are bound to happen. It is all the more precarious when you work in the middle of the night, the shift the Baltimore bridge workers had.

This helps to explain why fewer Americans want such jobs. It's true for all types of construction: road work, home building, roofing and carpentry.

For many years, too, American high schools got away from promoting the trades as they pushed students to pursue college degrees. That resulted in far fewer American workers in trades, even though many such jobs pay well. Immigrants, along with women, have narrowed some of those employment gaps.

Worker shortages

“We’re seeing [job] growth with investment in infrastructure and the energy sector — in green energy and traditional energy,” Eric M. Dean , who grew up in Chicago and is now general president of the Iron Workers International Association and chair of the immigration committee for the AFL-CIO, told us. “Every skilled trade is looking for a resupply of workers.”

Dean pointed out that European immigrants formed his union in the late 19th century. “Immigrants brought skills across the pond,” he said. As a member of Local Union No. 63 in Chicago, he worked his way up alongside immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Germany, South America, Central America and Mexico.

“Sweat doesn’t get measured by where you were born,” Dean said. “It’s measured by how hard you are working.”

Those are words to live by — and for centuries immigrants have put sweat equity into tough physical jobs in the trades, health care, food service, hospitality, landscaping and agriculture. Many also have left their marks in career fields of medicine and technology. All those industries have something in common right now — a need for more workers, and immigrants — most documented, some not — willing to fill them.

Still, too often, immigrants have borne the blame for the ills of American society, whether it’s crime, economic problems or unemployment. None of that is rooted in reality.

• Immigration

Extensive research shows that immigrant men in America have had a lower incarceration rate than U.S.-born men for the last 150 years.

A budget and economic report published in February by the Congressional Budget Office detailed how immigrants are helping to bolster the U.S. economy. Immigration will be vital to sustaining the U.S. workforce and Social Security as birthrates decline in the U.S. and older folks age out of the workforce.

Such details are conveniently omitted from some conservatives’ ugly narratives about immigrants, including undocumented immigrants.

This is not to dismiss the chaos consuming America's southern border in the last decade, especially in the last few years. President Joe Biden and some members of Congress seemed on the verge of making a dent in that very tough problem, which could easily become a national security threat, with legislation that would toughen some aspects of our immigration policy and make more resources available.

But Republicans in the U.S. House —call them weak-willed, or worse, but clearly at the behest of former President Donald Trump — copped out of passing the legislation, despite it including provisions they had called for and that border states sorely need. Trump urged them to back away so he can campaign on border issues mixed with xenophobia.

The workers fixing potholes on that bridge in Baltimore are a reminder that America needs immigrants to keep moving forward, whether to pick peaches, slaughter cattle, build businesses, keep hospitals running or keep up bridges.

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