Cincinnati Gains Free IT Job Training, Launches August 26, 2013 For Up To 80 Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bronx, N.Y. August 21, 2013 – Per Scholas, New York-based nonprofit providing free IT job training, opens its third location in Cincinnati, Ohio, bringing local residents the opportunity to obtain the education and skills to land jobs in the booming technology industry. The first class launches August 26, 2013 serving up to 80 students annually.

Per Scholas offers a free 2 to 3 month adult job training course providing high quality hands-on technical skills learning and professional soft skills development to unemployed or underemployed residents. The course teaches to the CompTIA A+ certification, which prepares candidates for entry-level help-desk and technical support roles. The Per Scholas model has been proven successful through independent studies conducted out of its other operations, triggering its growth into new markets like Cincinnati. Historically, 85-percent of participants graduate and obtain industry certification and 80-percent of graduates land jobs.

Its located in the Avondale community of Cincinnati at 3494 Reading Road. Current Per Scholas operations are underway in Columbus, Ohio, and New York City training nearly 500 individuals annually throughout all sites.

The Creating IT Futures Foundation (CITFF), Per Scholas’ lead funding partner for national replication, piloted its own IT training program in Cincinnati in 2012 and 2013 with excellent outcomes to date: after three pilot classes 92% of the graduates achieved IT certification, and over 75% secured employment. But because program administration is not the long-term focus of CITFF, and knowing Per Scholas’ track record and success in IT sector based training, CITFF appointed Per Scholas to take over implementation and operation of the IT-Ready program.

“This is an exciting step forward for both our organizations,” said Charles Eaton, CEO of the Creating IT Futures Foundation. “We’ve been sharing best practices in workforce training with each other for a long time. Now this partnership is a way for both organizations to test a new model of expansion so we can reach our shared goal of helping more people transform their lives through upwardly mobile IT careers.”

“After speaking with local employers like Pomeroy and Ascendum, they are ready for highly qualified, entry-level IT candidates to fill their open positions,” says Andrea Applegate, who is the Managing Director for both Per Scholas Columbus and Cincinnati. “The training offered by Per Scholas satisfies that need by quickly and effectively training job seekers for jobs with our great local businesses.”

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a 501(c)3 nonprofit offering free, high quality technology education, job training, placement and career development opportunities to people in underserved communities. Since 1998, more than 4,000 un- and underemployed adults (18+ years old) have enrolled in its flagship IT-Ready job training and placement programs in New York City and Columbus, OH. The graduates work today in hundreds of corporations, small businesses, nonprofits and government agencies. The Social Impact Exchange recently named Per Scholas one of the top 100 nonprofits creating proven social impact in the U.S.

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