Magellan Development Group in honored to participate in the Constructing Bright Futures program. An avid supporter of Chicago youth programs for many years, including awarding scholarships to inner-city children to attend GEMS World Academy, Magellan recognized a unique opportunity to give back to the community. In partnership with James McHugh Construction Company, the firm launched Constructing Bright Futures in the summer of 2017.

Constructing Bright Futures offers candidates interested in pursuing jobs in the construction industry an opportunity to work under McHugh Construction on Magellan’s largest, most iconic development project to-date: Vista Tower. After completing the onboarding interview process and union training, participants, including electricians, carpenters and labor apprentices, work on site at Vista Tower to learn and develop these trade skills until its projected 2020 completion date. President of Magellan Development Group David Carlins, a lead visionary for the program, is committed to providing an alternative career option outside of a conventional four-year college track for
Chicagoans who qualify for the program.

Constructing Bright Futures works in tandem with ComEd’s CONSTRUCT program, a training program that prepares qualified minority candidates for entry-level jobs in construction-related fields. Once the candidates’ CONSTRUCT training is complete, Magellan works closely to ensure there is a smooth transition to their next step in the process, which is the Constructing Bright Futures program. Heartland Alliance is responsible for supporting participants through the process by providing social services including transportation expenses, connections to child care providers, financial support for needed equipment and connections to financial literacy.

In addition to providing employment to qualified participants, the program also consists of a supplemental mentorship component, which includes meetings with Magellan mentors and educational dinners with industry leaders. Participants are also expected to give back to the community by helping on construction projects in their local neighborhoods and pursuing other volunteer opportunities.

Since the program’s inception, Carlins has enjoyed witnessing the immediate impact of employing a motivated individual, who may not have the opportunity otherwise, noting, “You get to see the light in their eyes, the happiness that having a job gives them and the self-esteem that they build while working on the job.”

Looking ahead, Magellan plans to expand and evolve the program to help other qualified individuals learn valuable trade and career skills.