Building pathways. Strengthening communities. Powering the future.
The transition to a clean energy economy is creating thousands of new career opportunities across Illinois. At the same time, too many talented people remain disconnected from those opportunities — not because they lack ability, but because they lack access.
548 Foundation was founded on a simple belief: Talent is everywhere. Opportunity should be too.
We exist to ensure that individuals from historically underserved communities have access to the training, support, and employer connections needed to build meaningful careers, strengthen their families, and contribute to the economic future of their communities.
It’s also home to deep inequities.
Generations of limited access to education, employment, and economic opportunity persist here. Meanwhile, employers across the clean energy, construction, and skilled trades industries face an urgent and growing demand for qualified workers.
These are not separate challenges. They are two sides of the same opportunity.
We’re building career ecosystems that transform communities.
By investing in the whole of our students, using a model that includes:
Industry-recognized technical training
Hands-on learning experiences
Career readiness & professional development
Barrier reduction services
Employer engagement & job placement
Alumni support & continued advancement
One shared goal, many partners.
Our work extends beyond the classroom by bringing together employers, labor unions, educational institutions, government agencies, community organizations, and philanthropic partners around one shared goal.
Creating pathways to economic mobility.
By aligning workforce development with industry demand, we help ensure that every graduate is prepared for real opportunities and every employer gains access to highly qualified talent.
Scaling our outcomes.
Since launching our workforce training initiatives, 548 Foundation has helped hundreds of individuals begin careers in growing industries and has built partnerships with employers across the region. Now, we’re ready to scale our outcomes.
The development of our permanent Workforce Innovation Hub at 3250 West Lake Street will dramatically expand our capacity to train more students, deepen employer engagement, support entrepreneurship, and serve as a lasting investment in Chicago’s workforce infrastructure.
This isn’t simply about building a campus. It’s about building the future of workforce development and economic mobility in Chicago.
“The greatest untapped economic resource in Chicago isn’t land, capital, or technology. It’s people. When we invest in talent, entire communities prosper.”
— A.J. Patton, CEO, 548 Foundation
Experience across the whole ecosystem.
Our team brings experience across workforce development, clean energy, construction, education, community engagement, economic development, and business. Together, we believe lasting change happens when people have the skills, resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to succeed.
Leading our next chapter.
As 548 Foundation grows, so does the scale of our ambition. Our team is helping lead the organization’s next chapter, from expanding workforce programming and strengthening employer partnerships to developing our permanent Workforce Innovation Hub on Chicago’s West Side.
We measure our success by the people who walk through our doors and the opportunities available to them when they leave.
The staff powering 548 Foundation.
AJ Patton
Fred Navarre
Treddest Page
Interested in joining the team?
We’re always looking for people who share our mission.