For Kelly Lee, a career in technology was something she had never considered. She felt her days in a call center providing customer service was a world away from what it took to be a tech pro. But she has since dispelled that myth.

Before Per Scholas, Kelly worked at a call center as a training supervisor. The work was difficult because she was primarily responsible for de-escalating phone calls from disgruntled customers. She explains, “When people yell at you for eight hours a day, it starts to become taxing. It’s not that I’m so sensitive that I can’t deal with people, but after years being on the receiving end with no break, it became hard.”

Even though her job was paying the bills, Kelly felt she wasn’t fostering the skills needed to build a lifelong career. “I grew a lot, but as far as a skill set, it all depends on how you look on a resume. I wanted functional work skills that would help me to develop a better career path.”

Kelly decided to take a step back from her job and try her hand at freelance writing. She wrote a blog and honed her communications skills, but it didn’t lead to much more. Kelly realized that she needed help to reinvigorate her career.

A friend and fellow Per Scholas graduate recommended that she look into the Per Scholas IT Support course as a complement to Kelly’s past experience.

Kelly immediately saw the potential. “It was a wake-up call,” she says. “The tech world is huge. Having tech skills is very specific and useful in today’s job market.”

After applying to the program and gaining admission, Kelly did research on technology basics so she could feel prepared to dive into the full-time rigorous course.

“Every day I realized that there were so many new topics to cover. It was very exciting.”

While exciting, the course was also very challenging — and not just academically. To make ends meet while she attended classes, Kelly and her 9-year-old son moved in with her mother and lived off her small savings. She says, “The experience definitely made my top 10 list of most intense things I’ve gone through.”

On top of familial support, Kelly had encouragement from the Per Scholas staff and her classmates. She describes her fellow Per Scholas students as her new “brothers and sisters,” their relationships built on camaraderie and respect.

After eight weeks, Kelly graduated with her CompTIA A+ credential and jumped right into job searching. She worked with Per Scholas employer partner Koncert IT after being introduced to them during the Career Development training at Per Scholas. She landed an IT job on contract with Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, headquartered in Cincinnati and so far, so good. Kelly loves Kroger as a company and feels at home with the company’s values.

Her personal life has seen positive changes as well. “I was in a motivational rut. Per Scholas awakened me,” she shares. “You really have to work hard and stay motivated to succeed in Per Scholas, as well as in life.”

Kelly says that her new career path allows her to set a great example for her son. “For him to see me get a new job and get up and go to work every day, he’s old enough to recognize that it affects his life in a positive way. He’s excited for me and knows this will build his quality of life in the future.”

Kelly’s career is promising. She can now see herself going back to school to further her skills and pursue other areas in tech, such as network administration or software testing.

“Even if it’s hard, I want to try it. I want to do it all.”

On January 4, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) visited Per Scholas Cincinnati to show his support of Per Scholas’ work with the long-term unemployed and to discuss his priorities as Co-Chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus.

The Senator met with Per Scholas staff as well as students of the current IT Support cohort. Portman shared, “I was glad to see the important work being done at Per Scholas Cincinnati to ensure Ohioans have the skills needed to fill the jobs that are available.”

During the visit, he also toured the CityLink Center and was impressed with the integrated social services that people can find there.

As Co-Chair of the Career and Technical Education Caucus and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Portman wrote and passed an amendment that makes long-term unemployed Americans eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which encourages businesses to hire hire long-term unemployed Ohioans, helping them get back on their feet. He says, “Six years after the recession was declared over, more than 2 million Americans have been unemployed 27 weeks or longer – and even that excludes the approximately 6 million Americans who say they want a job but are not counted as unemployed because they have given up searching.  This provision creates an incentive for employers to hire those folks, the very people who have the most trouble finding work.”

To view the coverage of the Senator’s visit on WLWT news, click here.

IT Support graduate Darius Jones featured in The New York Times on December 13, 2015.

He shared, “I really didn’t want to give this program up. If I had to tread through snow to get here, I would have tread through snow.” Read the full article here.

“I can breathe easier now knowing that I have benefits, I have a 401K, I have a salary. I can’t believe it. I get holidays off and it’s paid for. Per Scholas has opened me up to a world of possibilities.”

Meet Aaron Mingo. A local of Cincinnati, Aaron attended Ohio State University after high school. After two years, however, he couldn’t afford tuition so he had to withdraw. Soon after, Aaron took a job at a local restaurant.

Flash forward 11 years: Aaron was still working in the service industry. The job was difficult; he worked nights and weekends, and didn’t get compensated for holidays or sick time. Because of the long hours, Aaron’s personal life was struggling. He barely got to spend time with his new wife and three children; his physical health had taken a toll after a decade of lugging trays and boxes 40 hours a week. “My life was at the mercy of the restaurant,” says Aaron.

As well, his hope for a better life for his family was dwindling. In the service industry, Aaron explains, it is hard to move up the ladder. “I was at the restaurant for a decade and I was still in the same position. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t get ahead. I gave 100% every night and some nights only made $20.”

Aaron was frustrated that all his hard work should yield something more for himself and his family. “After so many years of working, I decided that every day needed to be something I enjoyed. I was not in control of my financial well-being. I needed to make a change,” he says.

Then something fateful happened. Wayne Ivy, Per Scholas Cincinnati Associate Director of Career Development, came into Aaron’s restaurant. He was dining with a friend of Aaron’s, and the three gentlemen started talking. Wayne mentioned his job with local nonprofit tech school Per Scholas. Aaron’s interest was piqued, but he didn’t think much more of it.

Aaron shares that he always had a knack for technology. In high school, he was part of a team that built one of the the first Cincinnati Bell websites in 1999. “Tech was always something that interested me. But I thought that there was only one route into the industry, and that was college,” he says.

A few weeks after his interaction with Wayne, Aaron found an ad for Per Scholas on a local job board. It was a eureka! moment for him. He applied for the training immediately and was accepted.

While excited for this fresh start, the eight weeks of immersive training was no walk in the park for Aaron. Because he had to financially support his growing family, he kept his job at the restaurant while attending Per Scholas, which means he was working 40 hours AND taking Per Scholas’ free, full time IT support course. He would attend class from 9am – 5pm then drive to work from 6pm – 10pm, and work full time on the weekends. To get in all the study time he possibly could, Aaron would listen to tapes in his car of IT guru Professor Messer while on the way to and from work and would study at night after his kids went to bed.

“Although it was hard, I was always motivated that there is something else better here.” In particular, Aaron soaked in the Career Development portion of the course, which teaches eight hours a week of essential workplace skills like communication, professionalism, office culture, and team building. “Even though I had a lot of experience in the restaurant dealing with people, I didn’t have the professional business communication skills needed to succeed in an office,” says Aaron.

The day of his graduation, Aaron was proud. He had made it through the eight grueling weeks and achieved his A+ certification. He says, though, no one was more proud than his wife. In the parking lot of graduation, she looked at him and said, “Does this mean that you’ll be home with us at night now?”

And, so it was. After graduating from Per Scholas, Aaron now enjoys a normal 9-5 schedule with no weekend hours and paid holidays. He worked for Per Scholas Partner Time Warner Cable for a time. Now he works as a IT Support Analyst in the same hospital in which his wife is a technician.

“I have a sense of pride about being an ‘IT guy,’” he says. “I stand a little taller when I tell people what I do. It shows that this person is intelligent, professional, and driven. This job has done wonders for my self-esteem.”

Today, Aaron is focused on his family and his future. He’s content being the family tech support. In five years, he hopes to get his Net+ and Security+ certification with the ultimate goal of following the Cisco security track. He shares, “Through Per Scholas, I had the chance to be the true master of my destiny. I am so thankful.”

To read more about Aaron speaking at our Toss for Techs event, click here.

More than 120 individuals rolled up their sleeves to play cornhole in support of Per Scholas at the first-ever Toss for Techs event on October 27.

The CityLink Center, Per Scholas Cincinnati’s new home, was transformed into a tailgater’s dream, decked out with nine cornhole courts, delicious BBQ from local rib king Montgomery Inn, a bumping DJ, photo booth, and Per Scholas swag.

The event revolved around a competitive cornhole tournament run by the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) President Frank Geers. The ACO team pumped up the room, organizing 15 teams to go head-to-head to vie for the top spot. Sporting sweatbands and fierce attitudes, the participating teams represented Cincinnati’s tech and business sector as well as Per Scholas employer partners and alumni. The dueling finalists were E.W. Scripps Company and CityLink. With a first place trophy on the line, play was intense with all eyes on the match. In the end, E.W. Scripps took the win and was crowned Toss for Tech’s first place champs.

While tourney players were wildly entertaining, the highlight of the night was when Per Scholas graduate Aaron Mingo took to center court to share his journey through Per Scholas and into a job in IT.

Before Per Scholas, Aaron worked in the restaurant business for almost 12 years. The demanding hours and low pay were negatively affecting his family and his lifestyle, sharing to the crowd, “There’s no compensation for holidays or sick time, so I haven’t taken a vacation in 9 years.” Aaron needed a change; he found Per Scholas and the rest is history. He now works at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati where he receives benefits, 9-5 hours, and paid vacation time. Aaron concluded his speech by sharing, “When people ask me what I do for a living and I get to tell them ‘I work in IT’ — it feels good. I stand a little taller…I can’t express enough the good Per Scholas did for me… Thank you for being here tonight, believing in Per Scholas and for believing in me.” Guests gave Aaron a standing ovation, blown away with his poise and courage to share his story.

It’s safe to say Toss for Techs was a roaring success. Thanks to the support of our sponsors CityLink, CompuCom, Ernst & Young, E.W. Scripps, First Financial Bank, Promark, Qvidian, and TEKsystems as well as the community, Per Scholas raised more than $12,000 last night which will support our work to launch new careers in tech in Greater Cincinnati. Special thanks to the Per Scholas Cincinnati advisory board who supported the event from the beginning.

From everyone at Per Scholas, thank you for helping us make a home in Cincinnati. The support of everyone helps us continue to grow well into the future.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30, 2015

Cincinnati, OH — Cornhole is not exclusive to tailgating and barbeques. National IT job training nonprofit Per Scholas is hosting a cornhole tournament fundraiser to bring attention to the booming tech industry in Greater Cincinnati and how its job training model is transforming locals into a skilled workforce to help fuel it. The event will be October 27 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the CityLink Center 800 Bank Street. Tickets are on sale now and open to the public.

Per Scholas came to Cincinnati just two years ago to provide its high-impact, tuition-free IT job training and offers its services to those disconnected from the professional workforce, individuals out of work or in low-wage jobs. In two years Per Scholas has trained 132 new technologists and graduates are working in tech jobs at more than 50 local companies. They’ve earned the attention and recognition from the White House TechHire initiative, Mayor Cranley’s office, and the Cincinnati Business community.

“The curriculum is exactly the training that our new hires need to handle the complex challenges they face as employees of Pomeroy,” said Ray Bradley, Manager at Pomeroy, an IT services firm located in Greater Cincinnati.

Rita Knaff, a graduate of Per Scholas and now an employee at Pomeroy, made a career transition after being laid off during the economic downturn. She held her previous job in the airline industry for close to 20 years. “I knew I had to make my skills relevant to the job market today. Per Scholas didn’t just teach the technical skills, but how to actually be successful on the job.”

The cost of a ticket to Toss for Techs will go directly to fund the IT job training and job placement services. A general admission ticket includes food and drink tickets, as well as general play cornhole. There will be entry into a competitive cornhole tournament officiated by Frank Geers, President & CEO at American Cornhole Organization (ACO). If you would like to compete in the tournament, please indicate that when purchasing your ticket. There are 5 people per team and prizes for winners.

The event is supported and sponsored by local businesses CompuCom, E.W. Scripps Company, Ernst and Young LLP, First Financial Bank, Promark, Qvidian, and TEKsystems, as well as the site host CityLink.

Do good:

• Get in the game. Tickets are $50-$75. Buy in advance.
• See the happy stories on the Per Scholas Instagram
• Learn more about volunteering, applying & other ways to get involved