The Skills for Life program provides students with a systematic way of learning about jobs, careers, and the pathways that must be traversed to enter various occupations, particularly growth occupations.

The Skills for Life program provides academic enrichment in English, Math, and Science, as well as homework assistance, career exploration, and service learning. These concrete skills in core areas are augmented with computer technology, case management, and mentoring. The services are offered three hours per day, five days per week in community-based organizations, which are member agencies of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers

Students are from conventional public housing, scattered sites and housing choice properties. The Skills for Life opportunity is fairly and equitably distributed geographically rather than targeting one community to receive all of the opportunities. Students and community partners meet the additional challenges of working with geographic diversity.