Skills for Chicagoland's Future
Joshua Forney is an accomplished professional in community engagement and educational outreach with extensive experience working with at-risk youth. As the Community Partner Lead at Skills for Chicagoland's Future since August 2017, Joshua focuses on community partnerships to enhance youth opportunities. Previous roles include Educational Outreach Specialist at The University of Chicago, where program curriculum for at-risk youth was developed, and Camp Director for the Tourek Williams Youth Football Camp, which emphasizes education and sports. Joshua has also held positions at NCSA Athletic Recruiting, where personalized recruiting strategies were created, and New York Life Insurance Company, where business relationships were developed. Joshua's educational background includes a degree in Sports Management with a Minor in Business from Florida International University, where leadership roles were demonstrated as a Division 1 Student-Athlete.
Skills for Chicagoland's Future
Skills for Chicagoland’s Future is a signature initiative of Chicago Mayor's Office and Cook County Board President Preckwinkle that is designed to close the workforce skills gap, drive business growth and get unemployed and underemployed Chicagoland area residents back to work. We do this by partnering with local employers to identify their available hiring needs and match them with qualified unemployed/underemployed job seekers in the Chicagoland area. We also access and coordinate government funding for customized training, so candidates have the skills necessary to deliver results from their first day on the job. We are a public-private partnership that is supported by the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois, as well as by private and corporate foundations. Our nonprofit status means we provide these recruitment, placement and training services at no cost to the job seeker. Our win-win approach is not only an important civic initiative but also a great way to make our region economically stronger and bring a highly skilled and diverse workforce to companies who need it.