We Bridge the Access Gap
We believe that everyone should have equal access to jobs. At Skills, we work to make that possible by reducing barriers to employment through partnering with leading companies ready to hire unemployed and underemployed job seekers. Jobs can be life-changing, and we're here to make that a reality.
We start with the job
Our Mission
Create demand-driven solutions for employers to get the unemployed and underemployed back to work.
Our Vision
Continuously meet employers' talent needs to create economic opportunity for the unemployed and underemployed.
Our North Star
To increase the economic mobility of under- and unemployed talent by connecting them to quality jobs through our deep partnership and understanding of the unique human capital needs of our network of engaged employers.
We prove that equity works
And we're committed to growing our impact over the next three years by scaling our demand-driven programs, diversifying job types, and driving innovation—with the end goal of placing 4,500 unemployed and underemployed candidates into roles that drive their career growth and financial mobility.
9,565+
lifetime placements
120+
employer partners
74%
of 2021 placements are female
96%
of 2021 placements are BIPOC
$6,120
more earned by Skills placement each year
$192.8M
total wage impact

Meeting Job Seekers Where They Live
Over 70% of our applicants come from historically underserved neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West Sides. To make good on our commitment to reduce barriers to employment and build access to economic opportunity, we launched Skills Neighborhood Link, an initiative to provide resources and one-on-one support from the Skills team in city neighborhoods. We opened our Englewood office in July 2021, and a new office on the West Side is slated for 2022.
Expanding our network
We recently announced plans to expand our jobs-first workforce development model to 25 sites nationally over the next 10 years. Current Skills sites in Chicago and Rhode Island have generated a combined economic impact of $307.3M since 2012.
Discover how you can transform lives and champion economic mobility in your city or region by joining the Skills network.
Learn moreOUR BOARD
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Mark S. Hoplamazian, Chair
President and Chief Executive Officer
JPMorgan Chase
Elizabeth Hofstetter, Vice Chair
Human Resources Business Partner Executive
Retired from United Airlines
Mike Bonds, Treasurer
Former Executive Vice President
Skills for Chicagoland's Future
Marie Trzupek Lynch, President & CEO
TrueBlue Outsourcing Solutions
Patrick Beharelle
President and Chief Executive Officer
Suffolk
Dennis Berger
Chief Culture Officer
Exelon Corporation
Amy E. Best
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer
EY
Jeff Bilek
Partner, Central Talent Leader
Accenture
Hillary Bochniak
Managing Director, Human Resources
BMO Harris Bank
Carolyn Booth
Head of Distribution, US Personal and Business Banking
McDonald's
Heidi Capozzi
EVP, Global Chief People Officer
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
John Challenger
Chief Executive Officer
CDW
Christina Corley
Chief Commercial and Operating Officer
Polk Bros Foundation
Gillian Darlow
Chief Executive Officer
Rush University System for Health
Marcos DeLeon
SVP/Chief Human Resources Officer
Morningstar
Bevin Desmond
Head of Talent and Culture
Wintrust Financial Corporation
Melissa Donaldson
VP, Chief Diversity Officer
University of Chicago
Derek Douglas
Vice President, Civic Engagement
Discover Financial Services
Andy Eichfeld
EVP, Chief Human Resources & Administrative Officer
HR Policy Association
Rich Floersch
Senior Strategic Advisor
CNO Financial Group, Inc.
Yvonne Franzese
Chief Human Resources Officer
Freedman Seating Co.
Craig Freedman
Chief Executive Officer
Russell Reynolds
Seema Kathuria
Managing Director
Hub International
Mark Kendall
Executive Vice President
Ultimate Software
Sudi Bjornstad Korba
Vice President of Sales
Walgreens
Hillary Leisten
Chief Human Resources Officer
Kin + Carta Americas
Kelly Manthey
Group Chief Executive
AT&T
Eileen Mitchell
President of AT&T Illinois
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Malaika Myers
Chief Human Resources Officer
Vantage Airport Group; Midway Partnership
Sammy Patel
Vice President, Commercial, Vantage Airport Group; CEO, Midway Partnership
Ingredion
Rob Ritchie
Regional President-Mexico, U.S./Canada Sweetener Solutions, Industrial Solutions & Kerr Concentrates
KPMG, LLP
Claudia Saran
Vice Chair of Culture
Jewel Osco
Eric Stevenson
Vice President, Human Resources
Health Care Service Corporation
Manika Turnbull, Ph.D.
SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer
Walmart
Keith Wyche
Vice President, Community Engagement & Support
Kenyatta Young
HR Business Partner
SKILLS BOARD CHAIRS

Penny Pritzker
Founding Board Chair
Founder and Chairman of PSP Partners; Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce
2012-2013

Glenn Tilton
Former Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co; Former Chairman of United Continental Holdings
2013-2015

Greg Brown
Chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions
2015-2018

Mark Hoplamazian
President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation
2018-Present
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Join Our Team
Do you have a passion for workforce development and impacting the economic mobility of Chicago’s historically underserved communities? If you also value intellectual curiosity and data-driven solutions, innovation and change, and equity and integrity, we invite you to browse open positions at Skills and apply today.