Anthony, a native New Yorker, born and raised in Harlem always had a knack for technology.

“Per Scholas helped me get out of my bubble…I want to get myself out there.”

Anthony, a native New Yorker, born and raised in Harlem always had a knack for technology.

“I like computers because of connectivity,” he said. “I have friends from all over the world because of what computers can do.” Anthony self taught himself hardware configuration and how to repair computers when he was in high school. “I’ve built gaming computers for myself and friends,” he shared. Anthony was on track to graduate high school and attend college when he suffered a debilitating back injury. His injury was so severe that he had to relearn how to walk and was unable to graduate.

After months of rehabilitation, Anthony was determined to follow his dreams of working in the IT industry. He enrolled in Technical Career Institute College of Technology (TCI) and successfully graduated with his GED and Associate Degree in Computer Technology. Unfortunately, he also graduated with $27,000 worth of student debt. Once in the world of working adults, he realized that the skills he learned at TCI weren’t enough. He needed IT certifications and preparation for the workplace. That’s when he found Per Scholas. Anthony’s mother received an email through the New York City Housing Authority and he knew then and there that Per Scholas was for him.  

When walking into class the first time, Anthony assumed he’d be in a room full of young adults; he was mistaken. “I was the third youngest in my class,” he said. He spoke about helping his fellow students with a difficult textbook in the Per Scholas curriculum. He said, “I found other methods to learn the concepts and shared the information and study guides with the other students.” He also was one the first students to take his A+ exam and get certified in his class.

While at Per Scholas, Anthony was out of work and slowly running out of money. Between his high student loan payments and commuting to class, he was struggling. That’s when CSS stepped in. His classmate told him about the opportunity and soon after, he was granted a monthly MetroCard.

Without CSS, he would have fallen even deeper in debt, making it almost impossible to pay back.

Now, at Per Scholas, Anthony is receiving financial capability services to build his credit and get his credit back in good standing. “Per Scholas helped me get out of my bubble. I want to tell people about this place. I refer all of my friends,” he shared. Anthony learned a lot at Per Scholas; not only technical skills, but skills applicable to the workplace.

Anthony describes Per Scholas as the perfect place to start a career. “They’ll start straight from the beginning with you.” Anthony aims to start an internship after he graduates. “I learned how to communicate at Per Scholas. I was quiet and shy before. Now I want to get myself out there.”