Leaders from Technology, Government, Private Equity, Nonprofit Contribute to Transform America’s Tech Workforce in the Southwest

PHOENIX (February 28, 2023) – Per Scholas Phoenix today announces the establishment of its inaugural Advisory Board. Leaders from technology, government, private equity, and the nonprofit sector will contribute their time and talent to supporting Per Scholas Phoenix and its mission to transform America’s technology workforce through rigorous tech skills training.

Inaugural Per Scholas Phoenix Advisory Board Members include:

• Anebi Agbo, Product Builder & Entrepreneur, Eikon Labs
• Rich Asay, Senior Operations Analyst, Global Services, Keyfactor
• Amber Braaten, IS Service Desk Controller, Master Electronics
• Shereka Jackson, Founder/CEO, Future Stars Inc
• Aaron Jones, Software Developer, City of Chandler
• Phillip Pipkins, Founding Partner, Prospeq, LP

“We are thrilled to have inspired leadership from our inaugural Per Scholas Phoenix Board members. Their creative vision will help us connect rigorously trained tech talent with quality job employers, changing the face of tech here in Arizona,” said Jaclyn Boyes, Per Scholas Phoenix Managing Director. 

Since opening in 2021, more than 100 learners have graduated from Per Scholas Phoenix and have gone onto employment in tech roles at a variety of companies across the city – from large financial service institutions to small startups. 

Per Scholas Phoenix is grateful for Founder’s Circle partners TEKsystems as well as generous support from Boeing, New World Foundation Quality Jobs Fund, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and Wells Fargo.

 Currently, Per Scholas Phoenix offers a variety of tech training courses including Java Developer, IT Support, and more. To learn more, please visit www.PerScholas.org/Phoenix.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for more than 25 years. Through rigorous training, professional development, and robust employer connections, we prepare individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. We partner with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting our graduates to new career opportunities at businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 20 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 20,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Per Scholas Phoenix was featured in the Phoenix Business Journal, discussing Per Scholas’s expansion to Phoenix and how we are preparing our graduates for high-growth careers in tech. Per Scholas Phoenix Managing Director Jaclyn Boyes was interviewed for the article, stating, “this year we are seeing a 100% certification rate and a 95% job attainment rate. Our learners are getting certified and they are getting hired.”

Click here to read the full feature.

It has already been a busy year of graduations at Per Scholas, with multiple graduations from IT Support, AWS re/Start, Cybersecurity, and Software Engineering courses coming to a close and many more coming up. As we look to train 4,000 learners in 2022, we are well on our way with astonishing numbers from our skilled and qualified graduates. So far, Per Scholas has graduated more than 250 learners, with over 150 graduates acquiring tech certifications.  

“The tenacity and commitment of Per Scholas learners is inspiring, and I’m thrilled for our graduates as they embark on transformational tech careers,” said Jasmine Miller, who was recently promoted to Per Scholas’s Chief Training Officer. 

Notably, our remote training cohorts had learners from New York, Cincinnati, Denver, Greater Boston, and the National Capital Region successfully graduate from our AWS re/Start course. Chubb Executive Vice President and Digital Transformation Officer Julie Dillman joined as graduation speaker.  This graduating cohort hosted over 70 graduates with an average certification rate of over 94%!  

Additionally, we graduated our first two cohorts as part of our satellite partnership.  With over 30 graduates from our innovative satellite training program, we are well on our way to training  1,000 New Yorkers this year.  In this partnership, Per Scholas is teaming up with Commonpoint Queens and with the JCC of Staten Island as Satellite partners in order to offer these trainings in Queens and Staten Island respectively. Commonpoint Queens hosted the course at its Elmhurst Employment Hub and JCC of Staten Island at its Bernikow Headquarters.  

In another Remote Training graduation, with learners from our National Capital Region, Denver, New York, Boston, Cincinnati, and North Carolina campuses, over 100 graduates completed their IT Support training to launch their thriving tech careers. Eugene Jones, Director of ITS at Comcast, spoke as a keynote speaker, encouraging graduates to always keep learning – in tech and in life. 

With support from our funders, brilliant and empowering Instructors, and a strong Learner Support Team, our learners are sure to excel in their next endeavors as they launch their IT careers.  We are eager to see how the year continues on with such a successful start as we connect individuals who have a passion for technology with thriving technology careers.