Skills For Chicagolands Future

THE MISSION OF SKILLS FOR CHICAGOLAND'S FUTURE (SKILLS) IS TO CREATE DEMAND-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS TO GET THE UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED BACK TO WORK. SKILLS IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, OPERATING AS A NONPROFIT, THAT MEETS THE HIRING NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS BY OFFERING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO PLACE QUALIFIED UNEMPLOYED AND UNDEREMPLOYED JOB SEEKERS INTO AVAILABLE POSITIONS. SKILLS' CONSULTATIVE APPROACH STARTS WITH CULTIVATING A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH EMPLOYERS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR TALENT NEEDS. BASED ON INFORMATION GATHERED, SOLUTIONS INCLUDE ACCESSING AND COORDINATING GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR TRAIN-TO-HIRE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS DIRECT PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB-READY CANDIDATES.

CORE: THE MISSION OF SKILLS FOR CHICAGOLAND'S FUTURE IS TO CREATE DEMAND-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS TO GET THE UNDER AND UNEMPLOYED BACK TO WORK. OUR GUIDING NORTH STAR IS 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. THE MAJORITY OF SKILLS' CANDIDATES COME FROM CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS CHARACTERIZED BY DISINVESTMENT, CHRONIC UNDER AND UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW RATES OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY, HIGHER THAN AVERAGE POVERTY RATES, AND LIMITED RESOURCES. SKILLS OPERATES OFFICES ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO LOCAL RESIDENTS LOOKING FOR WORK, IN ADDITION TO COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKFORCE AGENCIES.

BEYOND THE DIPLOMA:JOBS 101 - A PROGRAM TO SERVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NEED OF GREATER CAREER AWARENESS AND JOB READINESS SKILLS. IN ADDITION, SKILLS PROVIDES PART-TIME AND SUMMER JOBS DURING SCHOOL, AND FULL-TIME JOBS POST-GRADUATION. CAREER PATHWAYS (FORMERLY KNOWN AS PIVOT TO SUCCESS) - PATHWAYS THAT COMBINE JOB EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION/CREDENTIALS, AND/OR MENTORING ARE PROVIDED TO CANDIDATES AGES 18-26 TO SUPPORT THEIR ADVANCEMENT FROM ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS TO MIDDLE-SKILL JOBS AND/OR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

NATIONAL EXPANSION: NATIONAL EXPANSION IS AN INITIATIVE OF SKILLS THAT IS FOCUSED ON REPLICATING THE SKILLS' MODEL IN 25 CITIES IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS. THERE ARE DEDICATED STAFF ASSIGNED TO THIS EFFORT AND A NATIONAL EXPANSION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DEDICATED TO MONITORING PERFORMANCE, ADVISING STRATEGY, AND HELPING TO ADVANCE THE INITIATIVE.

COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION COLLECTIVE: THE CBO COLLECTIVE (CBOC) IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE CO-FOUNDED BY CARA COLLECTIVE AND SKILLS IN 2020; THIS COLLABORATIVE OF 16 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS IS WORKING TO BETTER CONNECT HIRING DEMAND WITH BLACK AND BROWN TALENT THROUGH A COLLECTIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH.