Per Scholas Houston Highlighted Innovation with Power Up: Houston during Energy & Climate Startup Week

Houston, T.X., September 15, 2025  – Since launching in 2023, the Per Scholas Houston campus has trained more than 250 learners, equipping them with critical tech skills such as Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, and IT Support. Our alumni have earned jobs at employers including AT&T, IRISNDT, Buchanan Technologies, Titan Technologies, and Preferred Technologies.

“As Houston continues to lead the way in energy innovation, our Power Up: Houston event proved how powerful collaboration can be,” said Per Scholas Houston Managing Director Tondalayo Hall. “By bringing together industry leaders, workforce development experts, and community partners at Capgemini during Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week, we highlighted the incredible potential of a well-rounded, tech-skilled energy workforce. This gathering was more than a conversation. It was a catalyst for the relationships, ideas, and opportunities that will drive our city’s energy future.”

Today, top leaders in the energy, utilities, and technology sectors explored the powerful intersection of innovation and workforce development among industry peers at Power Up: Houston, hosted at Capgemini. Caitlyn Brazill, President, Per Scholas, and  Kenneth Walker, Executive Vice President of Inclusion & Culture, Per Scholas, were in attendance. 

Central to the event was an Industry Expert Panel moderated by Janet Pope, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility & Engagement – Americas Region, Capgemini. Panelists included Bhavani Arabandi, Principal Research Associate – Work, Education & Labor Division, Urban Institute; Bryant Black, Founder, Black Arrow Group; Claire Gauthier, Executive Vice President, Global Energy & Utilities Industry, Capgemini; and Tondalayo Hall, Managing Director, Per Scholas Houston. Carla Walker-Miller, CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Solutions, a featured panelist from Power Up: Detroit, also joined as a featured guest in Houston.

Power Up: Houston was held in collaboration with the Urban Institute, IREC, and CareerEquity. This grant-funded partnership delivers worker-centered training tailored to the energy sector’s IT needs. Per Scholas Houston also extends gratitude to partnerships with Rice Management Company, The Ion, The Herzstein Foundation, Comcast, and The Texas Workforce Commission, without whom our work would not be possible. 

Contact: Rafael Gerena, Vice President of Communications & Policy, Per Scholas

communications@perscholas.org

About Per Scholas                           

As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward, expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 30,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills, generating over $35 billion in increased personal earnings. With 20+ campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.

Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

This event is part of the Power Up Series that was created by Per Scholas and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). DOL makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. The total cost of the Power IT project is $5,815,899. $5,000,000 (86 percent) is funded through the Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program of the U.S. Department of Labor–Employment and Training Administration. The other $815,899 (14 percent) is funded through nonfederal resources.