.png)
About Us
Built to Prepare People—and Strengthen Workforces.
​
The Ideal Candidate prepares emerging professionals with the communication, leadership, and workplace skills employers expect—then helps organizations build stronger, more prepared talent pipelines.
Our Story
Our Impact
About The Ideal Candidate
What Started as One Cohort Became a 10-Year Mission.
​
The Ideal Candidate began long before it had a name. Founder Kevin P. Davenport was just 12 years old when he began assisting his mother, Donna Davenport, at her performing arts studio. Alongside the arts, Donna taught young people the skills that helped them succeed beyond the stage—confidence, communication, professionalism, discipline, and how to carry themselves in the world.
​
By age 15, Kevin had gone from assisting his mother to leading sessions himself, with Donna supporting him from the sidelines. Those early experiences shaped his belief that talent alone is not enough; people also need the professional skills, confidence, and preparation to turn opportunity into success.
​
At 25, Kevin incorporated The Ideal Candidate NFP to honor his mother's influence and continue the work she started. The plan was simple: serve one cohort of young people and make a difference.
​
That one cohort never stopped.
​
Ten years later, The Ideal Candidate has grown from a family-inspired initiative into a workforce training and placement organization serving individuals, educational institutions, workforce organizations, and employers.
​
The delivery has evolved. The reach has expanded. The mission remains rooted in the same lesson Donna Davenport taught decades ago: Prepare people not only to get the opportunity—but to be ready when it comes.
​
ONE MISSION.
TWO ORGANIZATIONS.
ABOUT The Ideal Candidate
The Ideal Candidate Inc. is our workforce training and talent-solutions company. It provides direct training, certification, curriculum licensing, candidate preparation, and talent-pipeline services for employers and workforce partners.
​
Ideal Candidate NFP is our tax-exempt nonprofit impact arm. It uses donations, grants, and foundation support to expand access to training, scholarships, paid work experiences, candidate stipends, and employment opportunities.
​
The organizations have separate EINs and financial operations, but work toward one shared mission: preparing people for opportunity while helping employers access talent ready to perform.
Us By The Numbers
OUR IMPACT
-
23,158 people educated and/or placed
-
7,158 job placements
-
56 university partners
-
72 organizations and hiring partners
-
Impact across 33 cities and 11 countries
-
12-time nationally recognized organization
Awards
Awards and Recognition
Stellar Champion Award
Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council
Microsoft TechMaker Award
Microsoft & World Business Chicago
Influential Business of the Year
Northwest Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
WHERE WE ARE GOING
We are building a scalable training and placement ecosystem that prepares talent before day one.
​
Through direct training, train-the-trainer licensing, digital learning, employer partnerships, and supported placement pathways, The Ideal Candidate is helping people enter the workforce with confidence—and helping employers hire with greater confidence.