Per Scholas Expands Access to Tech Careers Through Its Satellite Model

Per Scholas is scaling its impact in a new way—by meeting learners where they are.

In its newly released white paper, Shared Success: Leveraging Partnerships to Expand Access to Tech Careers Through the Per Scholas Satellite Model, the national nonprofit highlights how a partnership-driven approach is helping expand access to no-cost tech training across the country—without compromising quality or outcomes.

A New Approach to Scaling Workforce Training

Since launching in New York City in 2021, the Satellite Model has become a core growth strategy. Rather than building new campuses, Per Scholas partners with community-based organizations and public agencies to deliver training in new locations.

Through connected classroom technology, learners at partner sites join live, instructor-led courses alongside cohorts at Per Scholas campuses. While Per Scholas provides curriculum and instruction, partners contribute physical space, recruitment pipelines, and critical wraparound supports. Today, the model has grown to eight active partnerships across five markets, with additional sites expected to launch through 2026.

“The Satellite Model reflects a fundamental shift in how workforce training can scale,” said Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas. “By combining our proven training model with the reach and trust of local partners, we’re able to expand access while maintaining the high standards and outcomes our learners and employer partners expect.”

Expanding Access Without Compromising Quality

At its core, the Satellite Model is designed to solve one of workforce development’s biggest challenges: access. Whether the barrier is geography, transportation, or awareness, Satellite partnerships help bring training directly into communities that have historically been underserved.

The results show that expanding access does not mean sacrificing quality:

• 85% graduation rate
• 80% of learners secure employment within one year
• Outcomes comparable to traditional campus-based programs

Learners at Satellite locations receive the same curriculum, instruction, and expectations as those at Per Scholas campuses—ensuring consistency across every cohort.

A More Cost-Effective Path to Scale

The model is also proving to be a more efficient way to grow.

By leveraging partners’ existing infrastructure and resources, Per Scholas can expand into new communities without the costs of launching a new campus, allowing Per Scholas to reach more learners while maximizing the impact of every dollar invested. Independent analysis found that the Satellite Model reduces per-learner costs while maintaining strong outcomes, with costs projected to decline further as the model scales.

Strengthening Local Workforce Ecosystems

Beyond training, the Satellite Model is helping build stronger local workforce systems. Partnerships connect Per Scholas to new employer networks, funding opportunities, and community resources—creating a more integrated ecosystem that supports learners from enrollment through employment.

For partners, the model enhances their ability to serve their communities by pairing local expertise with Per Scholas’ proven training and employer connections.

“The Per Scholas Satellite Model shows how high-quality training can scale in reaching more learners, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, without sacrificing outcomes,” said Maryann Rainey, Senior Program Officer at Ascendium. “By building on strong partnerships and existing community infrastructure, this approach expands access to programs that lead to real economic opportunity.”

Looking Ahead

As Per Scholas continues to grow, the Satellite Model will play an increasingly important role in reaching its goal of serving 15,000 learners annually by 2030.

With three to five new partnerships expected by the end of 2026, the organization is focused on expanding access, deepening partnerships, and continuing to refine a model that is proving both effective and replicable.

The white paper outlines key lessons for the field—from the importance of strong partner selection to the value of aligning funding with collaborative delivery models—offering a blueprint for other organizations seeking to scale workforce training in a more inclusive and sustainable way.

Read the White Paper: Shared Success: Leveraging Partnerships to Expand Access to Tech Careers Through the Per Scholas Satellite Model