Per Scholas Selected for America Forward’s Blazing a Trail Initiative

Per Scholas has been selected to join the inaugural cohort of America Forward’s Blazing a Trail Initiative, a national effort to expand public investment in evidence-based workforce development programs that drive economic mobility.

The initiative brings together ten of the nation’s leading sectoral training providers to help strengthen workforce systems by aligning federal, state, and local funding with programs that have a proven track record of preparing people for high-quality careers.

The inaugural cohort includes:

• JVS Bay Area
• JVS Boston
• Merit America
• NPower
• Per Scholas
• Project QUEST
• Propel America
• STRIVE International
• Vehicles for Change
• Year Up United

As Per Scholas continues to grow as a national workforce accelerator, this initiative represents an important opportunity to help modernize public workforce investment, ensuring proven, employer-driven training models can scale to meet growing demand for talent in information technology, AI, critical infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. 

Through the multi-year initiative, Per Scholas will collaborate with America Forward and fellow cohort members to assess opportunities to improve public workforce funding streams, identify policy solutions, and engage policymakers and stakeholders nationwide to ensure public investments reach the programs delivering the strongest outcomes for learners, employers, and communities.

“Workforce development is at an inflection point,” said Plinio Ayala, CEO of Per Scholas. “As technology transforms our economy, we need workforce systems that can evolve just as quickly. Sectoral training providers have demonstrated that employer-driven, evidence-based models create real economic mobility. This initiative is an important opportunity to help ensure public investment supports the programs that are preparing talent for the industries driving our future—from technology and AI to critical infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.”

Participation in the Blazing a Trail Initiative reinforces Per Scholas’ commitment not only to preparing future-ready talent, but also to helping shape a workforce system that enables proven, high-impact training providers to scale their impact through stronger public investment.

Learn more about the Blazing a Trail Initiative: https://www.americaforward.org/america-forward-announces-inaugural-blazing-a-trail-cohort/