Per Scholas is best known for our involvement with technology. For over twenty years, we have provided tuition-free technical training in our vigorous IT courses. In addition, Per Scholas is also heavily focused on workforce development. For our students, polishing their soft skills is just as important as acquiring technical skills. This combination will make them the most marketable version of themselves when entering the technology workforce.

During our courses, students are encouraged to find networking events on their own and explore other professional opportunities to deliver their 60-second pitch. At the Bronx Per Scholas site, Career Advancement Manager Janice Reid often received feedback from students that they were too shy or intimidated to strike up a conversation with a stranger at an event. After receiving this information, Janice came up with the idea to host a networking event of our own at Per Scholas. This would create a comfortable space for new students and soon to be graduates to practice their soft skills.

Janice Reid turned her idea into a reality with the first-ever networking event in the Bronx on Tuesday, August 8. She received a lot of support from her co-workers Craig Rosenberg (Director, Career Advancement), Chris Stone (Associate, Alumni Engagement), Jose Jurado (Senior Manager, Career Advancement), and Giselle Jaquez (Manager, Corporate Engagement).  Because it was the first time an event like this was ever done, Janice and her team had many goals they hoped to accomplish.

Students were told to draw a name from a jar. They then were instructed to deliver their 60-second pitch to that person. In addition, an ice breaking activity was conducted at the event. Janice said she also expected the event to help newer students meet and get advice from the graduating students. These goals were exceeded, as Janice told a story of a young man who attempted to leave the event because he was shy. With encouragement from Janice, he was able to make two new friends.

The 60-second pitch is the best way for our students to highlight their skillset. It’s intended use is to express how they stand out from other job candidates. Janice says, “Specifically, for Per Scholas students, why are you making the transition into the tech industry? What is the bridge that took you from where you were to where you are today?” Besides the 60-second pitch, we hold mock interviews and implement a zero-tolerance policy at Per Scholas. Students come back to Janice and tell her that the mock interviews in class are harder than the real interviews they have had.

Networking events like the one held on August 8 are essential for our students to learn professionalism and how to brand themselves. As Janice puts it, “You can have all the certifications in the world. You can have all the tech knowledge in the world. But if you cannot sell that tech knowledge, if you cannot go out and brand yourself properly and sell yourself, you and your tech knowledge will be on the couch. At the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to sell yourself, have those soft skills, and show them how great you are, not only as a technician, but as a person.”

As part of Speaker Mark-Viverito’s Task Force on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in NYC Tech Sector.

Brooklyn, NY – Today, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced the launching of Tech 51, a pilot program in partnership with Per Scholas and Coalition for Queens (C4Q). Tech 51 is the direct result of the Speaker’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Task Force that was created last August to address the lack of diversity in the New York City tech sector. With technology being a growing industry of massive opportunity, Tech 51 will ensure that those opportunities are made available to people of diverse backgrounds.

Critical training in IT Infrastructure, cybersecurity, and software development, along with workforce development and placement support, will be provided to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents by Per Scholas and Coalition for Queens. “Investment in the economic empowerment of New Yorkers yields far more than just a job. Employment in this fast-growing sector will have enormous ripple effects on someone’s life: on their own well-being, the health and welfare of their families, and collective impact within the communities that they live and work,” said Speaker Mark-Viverito. Eleven founding employer partners have pledged to consider the training of those who complete the program in lieu of a college degree.

“Working directly with New York City Housing Authority will deepen our reach and solidify on-ramps for individuals who have the passion and aptitude to succeed in meaningful careers and benefit corporations in need of their talent,” President and CEO of Per Scholas, Plinio Ayala said. Since 1995, Per Scholas has made diversity in the technology industry an important part of its mission and it continues today with its involvement in Tech 51, hoping to shift the demographics of New York City’s tech sector to be more inclusive.

Read the full press release here.

Last month, Per Scholas was recognized nationally by CNN Money for building a proven workforce model that is creating pathways to career success in technology for individuals across the country. To date, we have enrolled 7,000 students.

At Per Scholas we have a firm belief that our students do not need anyone to save them. Instead, we believe in their success and offer the tools and support for them to succeed. Per Scholas Ambassador, Sade Strachan, is the perfect example of a New Yorker who worked tirelessly through her IT Support class to receive industry recognized certifications and find a job as an ATM Service Technician.

Sadé’s journey is not unique, but it is remarkable. At Per Scholas, our students are creative and determined. They are the next generation of the Information Technology workforce in America. They bring their passion and intelligence and we put them on onramps to careers in technology.

This is not just a job—this is a springboard for success. Our training impacts our students, their children, their parents, neighborhoods, the companies where they work, our entire country.

The zip code where you were born should not determine your success.

In 2016, Per Scholas was recognized by the White House for demonstrating strong evidence of impact. This year, budget proposals cut federal funding for workforce training by 40% in key areas.

Per Scholas will continue to carry forward our mission to build onramps to success. A good job changes everything – help us change the face of technology.

Per Scholas and Cognizant Technology Solutions have announced a new training and hiring partnership that will equip local New Yorkers with in-demand skills and hiring opportunities. The trainings tracks have been developed in collaboration with Cognizant’s recruitment and technology teams to ensure that students receive instruction on nuanced technical job specifications and business acumen. Over the course of eighteen months, Per Scholas will train 650 New Yorkers at no-cost, providing students with career development resources in addition to technical training. Cognizant’s goal is to hire as many as 350 of the training program’s initial graduates to fill current positions that will increase their local operations in NY State.

“Per Scholas is thrilled to leverage our twenty years of experience partnering with business to support Cognizant’s efforts to train local and hire local. Across the country, Per Scholas has trained over 6,500 adults, individuals from overlooked communities,  who lack the resources but not the creativity and determination to succeed in tech” says Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas. “The increased demand for local talent, along with the rising number of technology jobs available, means that companies are exploring strategies to access talent outside of their traditional pipelines. These public/private partnerships will build the workforce of the future and we hope this can be a model that others will replicate, both supporting employer demand and strengthening the communities we serve.”

The partnership has been supported by Empire State Development (ESD) who have offered Cognizant $2 million in performance-based tax credits through the Excelsior Jobs Program.
Each course will run 8-10 weeks. Courses and exact dates will be announced via email and on the website. The training will be offered by Platform by Per Scholas, the customized training arm of the non-profit that works closely with companies to build curriculum to meet hiring demands. To learn more and apply, click here. For further information please email [email protected].

About Cognizant:

Cognizant is one of the world’s leading professional services companies, transforming clients’ business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 205 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead at www.cognizant.com.

About Per Scholas:

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are un- or underemployed for life-changing careers as IT professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in six cities across the country: Atlanta, Georgia; Greater Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; the National Capital Region, and New York, New York. To date, Per Scholas has trained over 6,800 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing careers in technology. To learn more, visit www.perscholas.org.

About Empire State Development:

Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, please visit www.esd.ny.gov.

On May 5, 2017 JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced a renewed commitment to open doors to successful careers for South Bronx youth as part of the New Skills for Youth Initiative. The initiative aims to develop new networks and connectivity between technical education schools and career programs to employer networks all over New York City.

The investment supports a variety of local organizations who are embedded in the South Bronx community, including Per Scholas. The objective is to “support intermediaries in growing industries vital to the NYC economy to increase employer engagement and commitments to career education, support school and system level capacity and pathway development in three sectors: healthcare; information technology; and transportation, distribution and logistics.” Other recipients include the New Visions for Public Schools, New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH) and The Consortium for Worker Education.

Per Scholas has invested heavily in an employer-facing model by partnering with industry leaders to develop relevant and hands-on classroom curricula so graduates are more than prepared for the jobs currently available in the market. These partnerships extend well beyond the classroom, a variety of technology and business leaders sit on Per Scholas’ National and local Advisory Boards that has developed and in-depth understanding of business needs.

In addition to employer relationships, for over twenty years Per Scholas has remained embedded in the South Bronx community. Through partnerships with local school systems, and community based organizations, Per Scholas is capable of interfacing effectively between community needs and business demand. Per Scholas President and CEO, Plinio Ayala commented “We do this work to make sure the host of talented youth in the South Bronx aren’t overlooked as a competitive workforce resource. With support and investment from partners like JPMorgan Chase we are working to build equitable, accessible career pathways in New York’s thriving tech scene.”

JPMorgan’s $6 million investment will focus on three key innovations outlined by the financial institutions press release marking the announcement. These three areas include:

• Support intermediaries in growing industries vital to the NYC economy to increase employer engagement and commitments to career education, support school and system level capacity and pathway development in three sectors: healthcare; information technology; and transportation, distribution and logistics.

• Build a new apprenticeship model that will lead to more registered apprenticeship opportunities in the South Bronx with a “leave behind” sustainable apprenticeship pathway in transportation distribution and logistics.

• Support the development of a high quality data system to measure and track the expansion of services and opportunities for work based learning, internships and community based efforts that match young people to career pathways.

The investment comes at a time when well-paid, quality employment is available all over New York City, with increasing recognition among employers that employees do not need a bachelor’s degree to be successful in the work. To read more about the announcement please visit the NY1 story and interview with JPMorgan’s CEO, Jamie Dimon by clicking here.

Initiative will create a system for aligning career and technical education programs with in-demand jobs in growing New York City industries.

JPMorgan Chase Announces $6 Million to Prepare South Bronx Youth for High-Demand Jobs

Initiative will create a system for aligning career and technical education programs with in-demand jobs in growing New York City industries.

New York, NY (May 5, 2017) – JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced a $6 million commitment to expand young people’s access to economic opportunity in the South Bronx. As growing industries in the city require a more skilled workforce, this initiative will establish an innovative system that connects career and technical education schools in the South Bronx to key employers in New York City. The investment will help drive change and is designed to increase dramatically the number of young people graduating from South Bronx high schools with opportunities to secure well-paying, high-demand jobs.

While the unemployment rate in the Bronx is below six percent for the first time, more than four in 10 South Bronx residents do not have a high school diploma and 23 percent of young people are out of school and out of work. This has pushed half of employed young people into low-paying jobs that limit their financial futures.

With JPMorgan Chase’s investment from its New Skills for Youth initiative, more young people in the South Bronx will be able to secure the necessary education and training to secure middle skill jobs in three growing industries: transportation, distribution and logistics; healthcare; and information technology. Middle skills jobs require more education and training than a high school diploma but less than a four-year college degree. Whether they go right into a job or onto post-secondary education or training, young people who enter these pathways will be prepared for success in today’s economy.

“The lack of economic opportunity for young people in the South Bronx is a moral and economic crisis,” said Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase. “Our investment supports the missing link between a successful education and career: businesses and educators working together to help students succeed. This investment will give young people access to jobs that offer good wages and the chance to move up the economic ladder.”

“We have to make sure our young people are leaving school with the skills they need to enter the workforce, so that they can get a good job that offers a solid foundation for building a career and future in The Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The number of skilled workers we’ll need is only going to grow, and this investment from JPMorgan Chase is going to significantly help bridge the gap between schools and the in-demand workforce.”

Well-Paying, High Demand Jobs are Available

In New York City, there are an estimated 26,000 well-paying jobs in the transportation, distribution and logistics sector that are attainable by people without a bachelor’s degree but who have received some education or training beyond a high school diploma. Jobs in this sector, such as engine repairers, sales and services positions and drivers at the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, MTA Operations and Maintenance Facilities and private sector bus and truck depots, are projected to grow by 10 percent by 2022, including about 3,500 positions in the Bronx. Entry level workers can start at $45,000 and move up to over $100,000 after a few years of experience.

Investment Overview

To build a new system that connects employers and South Bronx career and technical education programs, JPMorgan Chase’s $6 million investment will focus on three key innovations including:

• Support intermediaries in growing industries vital to the NYC economy to increase employer engagement and commitments to career education, support school and system level capacity and pathway development in three sectors: healthcare; information technology; and transportation, distribution and logistics.
• Build a new apprenticeship model that will lead to more registered apprenticeship opportunities in the South Bronx with a “leave behind” sustainable apprenticeship pathway in transportation distribution and logistics.
• Support the development of a high quality data system to measure and track the expansion of services and opportunities for work based learning, internships and community based efforts that match young people to career pathways.

These innovations will be led by several local organizations including:

• New Visions for Public Schools, an organization dedicated to ensuring that all New York City public school students, regardless of race or economic class, have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for the rigors of college and the workforce.
• New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH), one of the NYC Department of Small Business Services’ five Industry Partnerships. NYACH works to build an effective healthcare workforce development system in New York City by collaborating with healthcare employers; helping education and training organizations adapt their approach to better meet the industry’s needs; and ensuring low income and unemployed New Yorkers have access to viable career opportunities in healthcare.
• The Consortium for Worker Education, which works to advance knowledge and critical thinking, and foster research, creativity, and innovation across academic, artistic, and professional disciplines.
• Per Scholas, aiming to open doors to transformative technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities by creating opportunity, closing the skills divide, and achieving diversity.

Through several targeted philanthropic initiatives, the firm is investing over $325 million in skills development around the world. New Skills for Youth is a $75 million, five-year effort to address the youth unemployment crisis by increasing dramatically the number of young people who complete career pathways that begin in high school and end with postsecondary degrees or credentials aligned with good-paying, high-demand jobs. New Skills at Work is a five-year, $250 million global initiative to help inform and accelerate efforts to address the mismatch between the needs of employers and the skills of job seekers. The firm also invests an additional $5.8 million effort to support summer youth employment programs around the country.

Notable Statements of Support

“In order to successfully prepare students for 21st century jobs, public schools need to cultivate strong industry and civic partnerships. JPMorgan Chase’s New Skills for Youth initiative does just that, providing skill-building opportunities for students who will most benefit from them,” said New Visions President Mark Dunetz. “At New Visions, we’re committed to designing strategies and tools that strengthen schools’ partnerships with industry and ensure students get the preparation they need for bright futures in the communities where they live.”

“The Department of Small Business Services is thrilled to expand its partnership with JPMorgan Chase,” said Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop. “It has been a strong supporter of our work in healthcare through our New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare. Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce and the key to a strong economy in New York City. Our businesses have an important role to play in making sure our workers have the skills and practical experience they need. This pioneering initiative will create an impactful opportunity for our students, our healthcare employers, and our communities.”

“Through our job training programs and apprenticeships we’re not only providing the type of in-demand job skills people need, we’re building the talent base employers need to grow and thrive,” said John K. McDermott, Director of Special Projects, The Consortium for Worker Education. “We’re proud to partner with JPMorgan Chase to boost workforce training and development in the South Bronx.”

“We do this work to make sure the host of talented youth in the South Bronx aren’t overlooked as a competitive workforce resource,” said Plinio Ayala, President and CEO, Per Scholas. “With support and investment from partners like JPMorgan Chase we are working to build equitable, accessible career pathways in New York’s thriving tech scene.”

The initiative is supported by funding from JPMorgan Chase and the JPMorgan Chase Fund in The New York Community Trust. As the community foundation for New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, The New York Community Trust works with individuals, families, and corporations to improve our region through strategic grant-making, civic engagement, and smart giving.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.5 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

Media Contact:
Stephanie Bosh, (202) 585-1382