Skills for Chicagoland's Future (Skills) matched 1,000 unemployed or underemployed Chicago and Cook County residents with jobs last year as part of its partnership with the city, officials announced Wednesday.

The goal is to have more than 1,100 Chicagoland residents placed in jobs by the end of this year and 5,000 by 2018.

"Despite an improving economic climate, there are neighborhoods and populations such as youth that are still disproportionately affected by unemployment. By connecting qualified, motivated job seekers from these communities to corporations with current hiring needs, Skills acts as a 'zip code equalizer' for job seekers who may not be identified through traditional hiring practices," said Skills President and CEO Marie Trzupek Lynch. "Skills is connecting our employer partners, such as Rush University Medical Center, Yelp, Freedman Seating Corporation and more than 40 other Chicago-area businesses, to the neighborhoods and populations most affected by unemployment."

Of the job seekers placed into positions last year, 43 percent are from communities with average unemployment rates higher than 20 percent, such as Austin, South Shore and others. 

"Skills for Chicagoland's Future is a key city partner that reaches deep into communities to connect Chicagoans with economic opportunity through employment," added Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. "The impact of each of these placements extends well beyond the job seeker to their family and into their community. I commend each of the businesses for making this important commitment and impacting our neighborhoods, and look forward to working alongside Skills to provide even more opportunities for Chicagoans to succeed and prosper."