Per Scholas Launches New South Side Satellite Classroom with Xchange Chicago

Per Scholas is expanding access to high-growth careers on Chicago’s South Side through a new partnership with Xchange Chicago, bringing no-cost, high-quality tech training directly into the communities where opportunity is growing.

Announced during TechChicago Week, the partnership launches a new Per Scholas satellite training site at the Gary Comer Youth Center in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. The collaboration combines Per Scholas’ proven workforce development model with Xchange Chicago’s community-based infrastructure and employer partnerships to create new pathways into technology careers.

The new site welcomed its first cohort of learners this summer, who are building cybersecurity skills through Per Scholas’ AI-enhanced curriculum. A second cohort is expected to launch later this year. Through the partnership, Per Scholas provides its technical curriculum, instructors, equipment, and career-preparation support, while Xchange Chicago provides the physical training space and a community-centered learning environment.

A core strength of the partnership is its employer-driven approach. Working alongside SDI Presence, a founding employer partner of Xchange Chicago, Per Scholas is aligning training with workforce needs and creating direct pathways to employment.

Xchange Chicago was created by the Comer Science & Education Foundation, P33, and SDI Presence to connect Chicago residents to technology careers through technical training, employer partnerships, and an onshore IT delivery center. The partnership reflects a broader commitment to community-based workforce development by bringing training, employer connections, and career support together in the neighborhoods where learners live.

Through partnerships like its collaboration with Xchange Chicago, Per Scholas continues to expand its community-based training model and ensure more learners can access the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in the technology economy.

Read the Press Release Here