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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

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Our Mission

Create demand-driven solutions for employers to get the unemployed and underemployed back to work.

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Our Vision

Continuously meet employers' talent needs to create economic opportunity for the unemployed and underemployed.

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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.

Learn about our Strategic Plan

11,400+

lifetime placements

120+

employer partners

62%

of 2022 placements are female

91%

of 2022 placements are BIPOC

$6,120

more earned by Skills placement each year

$247.6M

total wage impact

Read our 2022 Impact Report

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, a co-located space in North Lawndale (partnership with North Lawndale Employment Network) in April 2022, and another co-located space in Gage Park (partnership with PODER) in March 2023.

Contact us to learn more

 

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 more

OUR BOARD

Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Mark S. Hoplamazian, Chair

President and Chief Executive Officer

Health Care Service Corporation

Manika Turnbull, Ph.D., Vice Chair

Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

United Airlines

Michael Bonds, Treasurer

Formerly Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Labor Relations

Suffolk

Dennis Berger

Formerly Chief Culture Officer

Exelon Corporation

Amy E. Best

Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer

EY

Jeff Bilek

Partner, Central Talent Leader

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

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Michelle Conklin

Managing Director

CDW

Christina Corley

Chief Commercial and Operating Officer

Polk Bros Foundation

Gillian Darlow

Chief Executive Officer

Wintrust Financial Corporation

Melissa Donaldson

Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer

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

Old National Bank

Corliss Garner

Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

Accenture

Srron Graham

Managing Director, Accenture Strategy

Rush University Medical Center

Courtney Kammer

Chief Human Resources Officer

Russell Reynolds

Seema Kathuria

Managing Director

Hub International

Mark Kendall

Executive Vice President

UKG

Sudi Bjornstad Korba

Vice President of Sales

Kin + Carta

Kelly Manthey

CEO

AT&T

Eileen Mitchell

President of AT&T Illinois

Motorola Solutions

Kathi Moore

Corporate Vice President - Human Resources

Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Malaika Myers

Chief Human Resources Officer

Walgreens Boots Alliance

Kristin Papesh

Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Vantage Airport Group; Midway Partnership

Sammy Patel

Vice President, Commercial, Vantage Airport Group; CEO, Midway Partnership

Ingredion

Rob Ritchie

Senior Vice President, Food & Industrial Ingredients, Americas

Ulta Beauty

Anita Ryan

Chief Human Resource Officer

KPMG

Claudia Saran

Vice Chair, Culture

NorthShore University HealthSystem

Dianna Sparacino

Chief Human Resources Officer

Jewel-Osco

Eric Stevenson

Vice President, Human Resources

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Audrey Williams-Lee

Chief People Officer

SKILLS BOARD CHAIRS

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Penny Pritzker

Founding Board Chair

Founder and Chairman of PSP Partners; Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce

2012-2013​

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Glenn Tilton


Former Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co; Former Chairman of United Continental Holdings​

2013-2015

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Greg Brown


Chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions​


2015-2018

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Mark Hoplamazian


President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation

2018-Present

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Bridget Altenburg

President & Chief Executive Officer

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Pamela Tully

Chief Operating Officer

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Tabatha Cobb

Vice President, Programs

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Kyle Clauss

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

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Kate Hermann Stone

Vice President, Development

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Susan Dunseth

Vice President, Business Development

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Mayra Alarcon

Vice President, National Expansion

Sarah Black

Director, Finance

Kim Dole

Director, Business Development & Operations

Dena Giacometti

Director, Workforce & Career Pathways

Reena Patel

Director, Business Development and Client Services

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.

Join Our Team