Through New Satellite Model, Per Scholas to Train 1,000 New Yorkers For Tech Careers in 2022

New York, N.Y. (October 21, 2021) – This afternoon, leaders from government, corporate America, and New York-based nonprofits came together to celebrate an expanded effort to train more New Yorkers for thriving careers in technology. Through an innovative Satellite Model leveraging on-site streaming technology, potential new learners will be able to participate in a variety of training courses in their home boroughs of Queens and Staten Island, led by nationally-recognized Per Scholas from their Bronx and Brooklyn Campuses. 

Per Scholas anticipates training more than 1,000 New Yorkers in 2022 by leveraging this approach, effectively removing geography and transportation as barriers to individuals interested in pursuing technology training and transitioning into tech careers. Training courses will continue to be offered at Per Scholas’s Bronx and Brooklyn Campuses.

“The explosive growth of the innovation sector in Brooklyn is one of the overlooked stories of the past decade – and it was thanks in part to strategic investments and public-private partnerships that prepared a pipeline of talent for emerging industries. Now, as we rebuild from a devastating pandemic, we must double down on these investments and ensure the benefits of our tech boom are distributed equitably. The new Per Scholas Satellite Learning Model will broaden opportunity to underserved communities throughout the five boroughs, at a time when we need it most. I look forward to building on this innovative new initiative to ensure that we are diversifying the talent in our tech sector and preparing New Yorkers for the jobs of the 21st century,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

The intimate event was streamed from Per Scholas’s Brooklyn Campus, which was recently expanded through the generous support of champion partner Barclays, and featured 19 learners – 10 in Brooklyn and nine in Queens – participating in an IT Support course that commenced last week. 

“Barclays is incredibly proud to support Per Scholas’s efforts to train and prepare more New Yorkers for careers in technology,” said Richard Haworth, Americas CEO, Barclays. “Since 2012, we have partnered with Per Scholas in its mission to create pathways to upwardly mobile careers through financial support, job placement opportunities, and colleague volunteering. We are thrilled to further the impact of Per Scholas’s programming through this expansion.”

Per Scholas is teaming up with Commonpoint Queens and with the JCC of Staten Island as Satellite partners in order to offer these trainings in Queens and Staten Island respectively. Commonpoint Queens will host the course at its Elmhurst Employment Hub and JCC of Staten Island at its Bernikow Headquarters. Per Scholas will provide an Instructional Assistant to be present in satellite classrooms in order to support learners in real-time.

“One of the big keys in building back a more resilient New York City is strategic partnerships and working together,” said Danielle Ellman, CEO of Commonpoint Queens. “We are incredibly excited to work together to take the expertise and rich programming offered by Per Scholas and present it to our community, ensuring that we can train future professionals in emerging fields so that they don’t get left behind.”

JCC of Staten Island CEO Orit Lender said, “We are so thrilled to be partnering with Per Scholas on this initiative, which will launch our Career Connections programming. Working with Per Scholas, we will help bridge the gap for those in our borough looking for tech jobs and create a stronger future for Staten Island. By linking career training to our already robust social services, we will be able to accommodate Staten Islanders with a wide variety of needs and help them get good-paying jobs in the tech sector. I would like to thank Borough President Oddo, the Chamber of Commerce, The Staten Island Foundation, and all of our community partners for their crucial work in creating this partnership.”

According to a recent report from the Center for an Urban Future, nearly one-in-five of all new job postings in New York City during the pandemic were in technology occupations. Demand for tech jobs across the city was more than triple that of marketing and almost five times higher than demand for hospitality or education. As reported last month, New York City has the second-highest average tech salaries in the nation and experienced a double-digit increase, despite the economic impact of COVID-19. 

Over the course of the pandemic, Per Scholas has trained approximately 850 New Yorkers in a virtual setting in a variety of technology tracks including IT Support, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, AWS re/Start, and more. On average, Per Scholas New York graduates earn four times their pre-training wage in their first job after Per Scholas. 

“By launching our Satellite Model here in New York, Per Scholas continues to expand our impact to train even more New Yorkers for thriving careers in tech. This is how we’re helping to grow back stronger and fuel an equitable recovery here in New York City’s tech sector,” said  Plinio Ayala, Per Scholas President and CEO.  “With its launch, we unlock more potential for the future of Per Scholas locally and will connect more individuals previously underrepresented in tech to careers in a thriving industry. As we learn more based on data and outcomes, we’ll evaluate and adjust this new delivery model, continuing to remove barriers to our nation’s future technologists.” 

Initial support for Per Scholas’s Satellite Model has been generously provided by Amazon and The Tiger Foundation as well as The Altman Foundation, The Aronson Family Foundation, The Clark Foundation, PDT Partners, and The Staten Island Foundation.

“As a company, we’ve made upskilling and workforce development a priority here, in New York City, and nationally, so partnering with Per Scholas is a natural fit for Amazon,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s New York City Head of External Affairs. “By expanding educational and job training opportunities in Staten Island, this initiative will help more of our neighbors pursue promising careers, while simultaneously building a talent pipeline and attracting greater economic investment to the borough. We thank the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and Borough President James Oddo for all their work to make this expansion possible.”

Charles Buice, President of Tiger Foundation, said, “As a supporter of Per Scholas since 1998, Tiger Foundation is thrilled to see Per Scholas expanding its work to help New Yorkers across the city develop skills and connect to jobs with opportunities for growth and advancement. And we are even more excited that they are doing so in close collaboration with other community-based organizations. The ambitious growth that Per Scholas is undertaking will help bring opportunity and crucial supports to many individuals and families and will build needed capacity across the city’s nonprofits and neighborhoods to support careers in technology.” 

For more information, and to learn about upcoming Per Scholas courses offered in New York, please visit PerScholas.org/NewYork.

Editor’s Note: High-resolution photos from today’s celebration are available upon request. Please contact Brad Angevine at [email protected]. 

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 25 years. Through rigorous training, professional development, and robust employer connections, we prepare individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. We partner with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting our graduates to new career opportunities at businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 17 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 14,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org.