What Skills for Chicago does

Skills for Chicago is a nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2012 that connects underrepresented job seekers with employer partners across multiple U.S. metropolitan markets. The organization's primary users are job seekers in historically disinvested communities — 89% of placements identify as BIPOC — and its employer-customer base spans healthcare, financial services, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, education, and other industries, totaling 270+ partners nationwide. Service delivery combines personalized career coaching, resume and interview preparation, credential-aligned career support (Credential Connection), earn-and-learn manufacturing apprenticeships (Cook County Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator), 90-day post-hire retention support, and a Salesforce-backed online candidate portal for browsing and applying to open positions.

The core technology layer is a Salesforce-based candidate portal (sfcf.my.site.com/skillsportal) with no documented public or partner-facing API and no AI/ML components; in-person service delivery is anchored by four neighborhood offices in Chicago's Loop, Englewood, North Lawndale, and Gage Park (the latter three co-located with the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, North Lawndale Employment Network, and PODER). Supporting products include the Career Resources program, Community Impact Program, and the Skills for America national expansion initiative — an umbrella that now extends operations to Rhode Island, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Hartford, with Dallas and Boston in development.

Revenue is derived from two streams and is not derived from job seeker fees, which are entirely free: strategic employer partnerships (where companies fund the organization in exchange for curated, pre-screened talent pipelines and workforce solutions) and philanthropic donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. Notable funding includes a $5 million unrestricted grant from MacKenzie Scott in November 2023. The organization rebranded from Skills for Chicagoland's Future to Skills for Chicago in May 2025 to reflect its expanded national presence, and is governed by a board that includes former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker (founding chair), Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian (Chair Emeritus), and Health Care Service Corporation SVP/CHRO Manika Turnbull (current chair).

Name

Skills for Chicago

Legal name

Skills for Chicago

Website

https://skillsforchicago.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Skills for Chicago is a nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2012 that connects underrepresented job seekers with 270+ employer partners across five U.S. cities, offering free career coaching, job placement, and credential-aligned pathways.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Employment Services (5613), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Career Services & Job Placement Platforms (Jobs, Recruiting, Employer Networks) (EDAFAMAM), Internship/Apprenticeship Matching & Work-Based Learning Platforms (EDAFAMAL), Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Job placement services
• Career coaching programs
• Employer talent partnerships
• Community employment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Employer Partnerships: Strategic partnerships with employers who fund the organization in exchange for access to curated talent pipelines and workforce solutions.
2. Philanthropic Donations: Donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations to support workforce development programs and job seeker services.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Skills for Chicago is a nonprofit workforce development organization that connects underrepresented job seekers with employer partners. It delivers personalized career coaching, resume and interview preparation, job matching through a Salesforce-backed candidate portal, credential-focused career support, and 90-day retention assistance for new hires. All job seeker services are provided free of charge and funded by employer partnerships, philanthropic donations, and grants.

Product overview

Skills for Chicago operates as a workforce development organization offering a portfolio of job placement and career support services. The core offering is its job placement service, which connects underrepresented job seekers with employer partners through a curated candidate portal. Supporting programs include the Cook County Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator (earn-and-learn manufacturing positions), Credential Connection (certification-focused career coaching), and the Community Impact Program (bringing resources to underserved neighborhoods). The Skills for America initiative extends the model nationally, while the Career Resources program provides resume and interview support. The company rebranded from Skills for Chicagoland's Future to Skills for Chicago in May 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Job Placement Services Core service connecting underrepresented job seekers with employer partners, providing personalized career guidance, job matching, and ongoing support throughout the hiring process. Free of charge to job seekers.
• Cook County Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator Manufacturing-focused earn-and-learn program connecting job seekers with apprenticeship positions in manufacturing, providing career support during the first 90 days on the job.
• Credential Connection Career coaching program supporting individuals who have earned or are pursuing certifications (CNA, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Assistant) to navigate the hiring process.
• Skills for America National expansion initiative scaling the jobs-first workforce model to cities beyond Chicago, including operations in Rhode Island, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Hartford.
• Candidate Portal Online platform enabling job seekers to browse open positions, create accounts, submit resumes, and apply for jobs with employer partners. Built on Salesforce.
• Community Impact Program Partnership network bringing hiring events, job opportunities, and career resources directly to Chicago's south and west sides through 70+ community organizations.
• Career Resources Job readiness support including interview preparation, resume building, professional development workshops, and connections to training programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24,300+ job seekers placed into meaningful employment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Metro Atlanta ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to launch Connect to Work GA in Atlanta, expanding the Skills workforce model to metro Atlanta communities
• Workforce Solutions Collaborative of Metro HartfordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to launch workforce solutions collaborative in Hartford, CT area
• Greater Phoenix Chamber FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to launch Connect to Work AZ in Phoenix, bringing Skills' jobs-first workforce model to the Greater Phoenix area
• Greater Englewood Community Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for Englewood office location providing workforce services
• North Lawndale Employment NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for North Lawndale office location providing workforce services
• PODERcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for Gage Park office location providing workforce services
• Ulta BeautycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployer partner that has hired over 400 individuals through Skills, with 38 hired in the past year alone. Ambassador Sponsor for Employment Champions Breakfast 2025

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LaunchCode: Nonprofit offering free technology training and job placement with employer partnerships, originally founded in St. Louis and operating in multiple U.S. cities; closely comparable model with strong employer-funded placement economics.
• Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: Public-sector workforce development board serving Chicago and Cook County, providing job seeker services, employer partnerships, and community-based programming — overlapping geographic footprint and similar underserved-community mission.
• Year Up: National workforce development nonprofit connecting young adults from underserved communities to corporate internships and jobs, with a similar employer-funded model, Fortune 500 corporate partners, and free programming for participants.
• NPower: Nonprofit offering free technology skills training and job placement services to veterans and young adults from underserved communities, with a similar employer-partnership-driven placement model and free-to-participant pricing.
• Per Scholas: Nonprofit providing free technical skills training and job placement for adults from underserved communities; operates a national tuition-free model with employer hiring partnerships — closely comparable in mission, target population, and funding model.

Broad incumbents

• General Assembly (now part of Adecco): Workforce training provider (now owned by Adecco) offering bootcamps and career programs with employer partnerships; comparable in serving career-changers with employer-funded models but operates as a for-profit entity.
• Grads of Life (by Year Up): Workforce intermediary affiliated with Year Up that advises employers on hiring from nontraditional talent pools; comparable mission-aligned intermediary in the same employer-funded talent-pipeline ecosystem.
• Robert Half: Largest specialized staffing firm in the U.S., placing candidates across finance, technology, legal, and administrative roles; overlapping employer customer base with Skills for Chicago but operates as a fee-based for-profit incumbent.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): Large national nonprofit focused on workforce development, education, and economic mobility; broader in scope than Skills for Chicago but directly comparable as a peer in the workforce-development nonprofit category.

Regional players

• ApprenticeshipNC / apprenticeship state intermediaries: State-run apprenticeship intermediaries (and similar programs in other states) that fund earn-and-learn programs; comparable to Skills for Chicago's Cook County Manufacturing Apprenticeship Accelerator in operating registered apprenticeship pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/skillsforchicago
• Facebookfacebook.com/SkillsForChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skills-for-chicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/skillsforchicago/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skills for Chicago