The jobs will be in the Green Corps Chicago program, which the city began 15 years ago.
Daley stressed that the Corps includes former convicted criminals who can learn job skills, become taxpayers, and avoid returning to prison.
"I really believe in that. We have used them in many of our programs, and I'll be very frank. These individuals are the most hard-working people I've ever seen in the workforce," the mayor said. "Rebuild people's lives. At the same time, rebuild the environment that has been discarded for too long in our society."
The jobs include electronics recycling, home weatherization, energy retrofits, urban agriculture, and brownfields reclamation.
