Skills for Chicago lands $225K grant to build veteran career pathways

Skills for Chicago received a $225,000 grant from the Richard L. Duchossois Foundation to launch the first phase of a military-to-civilian career initiative using its Career Highways platform. The effort aims to help veterans translate military experience into civilian job skills, training paths and employer matches. Why it matters: - More than 200,000 service members transition to civilian life each year, and many struggle to convert military experience into terms employers understand. - The new initiative is designed to improve job fit for veterans and reduce early job turnover by aligning military skills with civilian roles. - The effort also gives employers a more structured way to identify veteran talent with relevant skills. What happened: - Skills for Chicago received a $225,000 grant from the Richard L. Duchossois Foundation to launch the first phase of a military-to-civilian career pathways initiative. - The program will use the Career Highways platform to translate military experience into skills, career pathways and job opportunities. - Skills for Chicago announced the grant on June 17, 2026, in Chicago. The details: - The first phase combines veteran-focused career coaching, employer engagement, community recruitment and a skills-based technology system. - Career Highways will map military occupations, including MOS and AFSC roles, into a structured skills framework. - The platform will capture both technical and leadership capabilities from military experience. - Veterans will be matched to in-demand civilian careers based on skills, interests and market demand. - The system will identify skill gaps and route veterans to targeted upskilling paths. - Job readiness tools will include AI-powered resumes, career-path visualization and interview preparation. - The initiative will connect veterans directly with employers seeking job-ready candidates. - Skills for Chicago has already used Career Highways to improve hiring outcomes by aligning skills to roles and boosting job fit for candidates and employers. - The RLD Foundation framed the grant as part of its support for veterans and their reintegration into civilian life. Between the lines: - The grant is a first step, not a full rollout, and additional phases depend on future funding. - The push reflects a broader shift in workforce hiring toward skills-based matching instead of relying only on job titles or traditional resumes. - Veterans often bring valuable leadership and technical experience, but that value can be hidden when civilian employers do not recognize military language. - Bridget Altenburg, CEO of Skills for Chicago and a U.S. military veteran, said the initiative is meant to turn that experience into clear career pathways and real employment outcomes. - Joe Shepherd, chief product officer at Career Highways and a U.S. military veteran, said the first phase creates a scalable system that can connect military skills to the workforce. What’s next: - Skills for Chicago will begin developing and deploying the military-focused version of Career Highways. - The organization plans to expand the effort in later phases if it secures additional funding. - The long-term goal is to reach more veterans and improve matching between military experience and civilian employers. The bottom line: - Skills for Chicago is using new funding to turn military experience into a clearer, skills-based path to civilian jobs.