Responding to a Rapidly-Changing Economy:
Per Scholas on Agile Workforce Development Approaches

As technology rapidly reshapes industries across the economy, workforce development systems must evolve just as quickly. In a new conversation with the America Forward Coalition, Per Scholas President Caitlyn Brazill and Director of Government Affairs and Policy Dillon Moore discuss how an agile, employer-connected training model can help workers build in-demand technology skills and adapt to a changing labor market.

For more than 30 years, Per Scholas has provided no-cost technology training designed to connect talent to opportunity. The organization has trained more than 30,000 learners nationwide and now operates in more than 20 cities nationwide, partnering with more than 1,000 employers to align training programs with real workforce needs.

The conversation also highlights the real impact of this approach through alumni stories. One example is Carter Guin, who discovered Per Scholas at a job fair while searching for a new career path. After completing training at a satellite campus in Covington, Kentucky, Carter quickly secured a role as an on-site support engineer supporting hospitals in the Cincinnati area. He has continued advancing his career, earning an MBA in IT management and pursuing additional certifications through Per Scholas’ Career Accelerator program.

In the conversation, Brazill also discusses how Per Scholas continuously adapts its curriculum to reflect emerging technologies, including integrating AI literacy and applied AI skills across programs. Moore outlines policy opportunities to strengthen workforce systems, enabling them to better support evidence-based training providers and expand access to skills training.

The discussion explores the importance of employer partnerships, the role of data-driven program improvement, and how policy changes, such as modernizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, could help expand access to high-quality workforce training nationwide. 

Read the full conversation to learn how responsive workforce strategies can help workers and employers succeed in a rapidly changing economy.

Full story here.