Join the SKILLED Nation Board of Directors

Join the SKILLED Nation Board of Directors

Powering America’s Skilled Future

Build the Skilled Workforce Industry that Society Depends On

America’s employers cannot find the skilled talent they need — and millions of Americans cannot afford the training that would qualify them for those in-demand jobs. SKILLED Nation exists to close that gap. By joining our Board of Directors, you help build the skilled workforce that industry and society depend on: powering the data centers, factories, construction sites, energy systems, and hospitals that keep the economy running, while opening well-paying careers to people who need them most.

This is workforce development with a direct line to industry demand — every scholarship we fund answers a real employer need and strengthens a community. If that mission resonates, we invite you to explore joining us.

We’re Expanding Our Board In Three Priority Areas

To meet industry demand, we are actively seeking board leaders from three sectors in particular:

Technology • Healthcare • Community College & Workforce Development

If you are a senior leader in one of these fields — or can open doors to them — we’d welcome a conversation. Full details appear under “Board Expertise We’re Actively Seeking” below.

About SKILLED Nation

SKILLED Nation is a national nonprofit and the trusted specialist in customized, at-scale scholarships for high-demand skilled careers. We remove the barriers that keep people from starting and completing training, and we connect students, schools, and employers to build the highly skilled workforce that will power our future. Our scholarships support training in high-demand fields including construction, manufacturing, transportation, energy, aerospace, information technology, healthcare, and the skilled trades.

Since launching in 2021, SKILLED Nation has:

• Raised more than $10 million to fund skilled scholarships in just 5 years — with $5.5 million available in 2026 alone

• Funded more than 3,000 scholarships for scholars across all 50 states

• Achieved a 90%+ post-training employment rate among scholars

• Awarded scholarships of $2,000 to $5,000 that cover tuition, tools, fees, supplies, childcare, and other training-related costs

• Built a national network of corporate, school, and foundation partners — including

3M, Ball, DEWALT, Ford Philanthropy, GE Vernova, The Home Depot Foundation, Norfolk Southern, PulteGroup, Schneider Electric, and Southwire

Our model is built around industry need. We partner directly with employers to fund the specific skills their sectors are short on — so every scholarship serves a dual purpose: workers get trained and earn more, and companies build the talent pipelines their growth depends on. Communities gain economically mobile residents, and America gains a workforce that can power tomorrow’s economy. That is how we meet the needs of both industry and society at once.

Vision

A nation where every American has a fair shot at the skills and credentials needed for a secure, fulfilling career — without the barrier of unaffordable training.

Mission

Working with its partners, SKILLED Nation provides financial access to high-demand skill training for all Americans, bridging the skills gap in the U.S. economy and empowering people to achieve financial independence.

Values

• Impact — Delivering simple, efficient, measurable outcomes that change lives.

• Partnership — Working hand-in-hand with employers, educators, and funders to expand opportunity.

• Access — Removing barriers so training and completion are within reach for all.

• Stewardship — Using every dollar responsibly to maximize benefit for scholars and partners.

The Board’s Role

Board members advance our mission across three areas of responsibility — and gain a great deal in return.

• Resource Mobilization & Partnership Building — Open doors to donors, funders, and partners; strengthen our national presence; and make a personal giving commitment.

• Governance & Oversight — Provide strong fiduciary oversight, uphold the mission and compliance standards, and guide strategic planning.

• Strategic Leadership — Bring insight on workforce and industry trends, champion the mission as an ambassador, and help build national partnerships.

In return, board members:

• See their impact firsthand as scholarships change lives.

• Join an existing board of leaders with deep perspective and entrepreneurial mindset across business, philanthropy, education, and workforce sectors.

• Help shape the national conversation on skills training and closing the skills gap.

• Engage through events including scholarship presentations, partner site visits, and stakeholder receptions.

Board Expertise We’re Actively Seeking

To match our growth, we are recruiting board leaders who bring deep expertise, senior- level relationships, and fundraising reach in one or more of the following priority areas:

Big Technology Perspective & Expertise

• Mid- to senior-level leadership experience at a major technology company with a direct stake in the skilled workforce we train — data-center construction, facilities, and infrastructure trades

• Familiarity with big-tech corporate giving models and how a scholarship program fits a company’s broader community-investment strategy — helping us frame “asks” that land

• Connections into technology-company operations and/or philanthropy decision-makers who can open doors for fundraising in the tech and workforce-development space

• Ideally, someone who can bridge big tech’s community-investment mindset with our specific, trades-focused scholarship mission

Healthcare Industry Perspective & Expertise

• Senior leadership experience within a health-care system or hospital network, with a big-picture view of industry dynamics and firsthand understanding of frontline workforce shortages

• Insight into how healthcare organizations run their own training pipelines — so we can identify where SKILLED Nation complements rather than competes with internal programs

• Connections to health-system operational leaders, philanthropy, foundations, and/or workforce-development funders

Community College & Workforce Development

• Deep expertise and direct experience in the community college or technical school system

• Understanding of workforce-development funding, apprenticeship models, and how scholarships translate into completion and placement outcomes

• Relationships with community college leadership, state workforce boards, and/orregional training initiatives

We also value complementary strengths in philanthropy and fundraising, marketing and brand positioning, government relations and public policy, and financial management and governance.

Commitment & Expectations

• Serve a three-year term, renewable by mutual agreement

• Attend quarterly board meetings (virtual and/or in-person)

• Actively participate in SKILLED Nation initiatives and events

• Make SKILLED Nation a philanthropic priority: a minimum annual commitment equal to the value of two scholarships — $5,000 (Give or Get) — through personal contributions, corporate sponsorships, and/or direct donor introductions (with tailored accommodations for workforce and academic seats)

• Serve as an active advocate for our mission in your professional and community circles

• Support geographic diversity on the board, expanding our reach beyond the Atlanta/Georgia region

Ready to Build America’s Skilled Future?

If you’re ready to lend your leadership to one of the country’s fastest-growing workforce organizations, we’d welcome a conversation. Learn more at skilled-nation.org, or reach out to Taahira Thompson to explore joining the SKILLED Nation Board of Directors.