About Us
Constructing Success
Who We are
Tools Up Foundation is a nonprofit organization rooted on Chicago's South Side.
We provide free, hands-on construction training and career development programs to youth and young adults — from teens as young as 14 to adults ready for a career change.
Our mission is straightforward: build stronger communities by giving people the skills, credentials, and connections to build lasting careers.
Participants learn more than construction. They learn confidence, professionalism, financial literacy, and resilience - because a real career requires the whole person.
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What we do
How TOOLS Up Do It?
Turning knowledge into action through hands-on training and strong mentorship
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Technical Training
Hands-on training across multiple trades - carpentry, electrical, plumbing, safety, and project management.
Observation
Participants gain real-world construction exposure, building industry awareness and confidence before entering the field.
Opportunities
Every graduate earns nationally recognized certifications: OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, NCCER Core, and more.
Leadership
TUF develops leaders. Participants build communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence to take initiative.
Support
TUF develops leaders. Participants build communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and confidence to take initiative on the job site and beyond.
Our Approach
Practical Pathways to Real Careers
We meet participants where they are with hands-on training and supportive programs that build skills, confidence, and clear pathways into the construction and building trades.
Innovative Programming
At Tools Up Foundation, we offer a range of programs designed to meet participants where they are - whether you're a teen exploring your options or an adult ready to launch a career. From hands-on pre-apprenticeship training to construction project management, every TUF program is free, practical, and built to open real doors.
Our Impact
Our numbers tell the story. With a 96% completion rate, 100% of graduates earning industry-recognized credentials, and programs that cost participants nothing, TUF is delivering outcomes that matter for individuals, families, and the communities we serve.
See our impact
Who We are
Tools Up Foundation is a nonprofit organization rooted on Chicago's South Side. We provide free, hands-on construction training and career development programs to youth and young adults — from teens as young as 14 to adults ready for a career change.
Our mission is straightforward: build stronger communities by giving people the skills, credentials, and connections to build lasting careers.
Participants learn more than construction. They learn confidence, professionalism, financial literacy, and resilience - because a real career requires the whole person.
Our Approach
01
Technical skills
Hands-on training across carpentry, electrical, plumbing and more.
02
Industry credentials
OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, NCCER Core - recognized by employers everywhere.
03
Mental wellness
Check-ins and trauma informed support built into every program.
04
Career pathway
A connected pipeline from teen exploration to real estate investment.
Meet Dominique Jones, Founder & Executive Director
Dominique Jones didn't start Tools Up Foundation from the outside looking in. She built it from over a decade of real construction industry experience — as a general contractor, a real estate developer, and one of the few women of color at the table in rooms where that still matters.
She is the Founder and CEO of D. Jones Construction, a general construction firm, and Jones Development, a real estate development and investment company. After seeing firsthand how few people from her community had a clear path into the industry she'd built her career in, she made a commitment: to create a revolving door of skilled professionals who reflect the communities that construction is literally building.
Today, she is the founder of TUF, she is an active mentor and instructor inside every program. That's what makes the difference.
Dominique Jones
Tools up Foundation Founder
People behind TUF Success
Chris Ford
Program Director
Christina White
Special Events Coordinator
Tariq Finney
Lead Instructor