Per Scholas was featured in an article published with Fast Company, in which Lisa Gevelber, founder of Google’s certificates program, discussed the ways in which skills-based training can open up opportunities. 

For years, many tech industry leaders have complained about their inability to find workers with the skills they need. Google’s certificate program has been an excellent solution, offering prospective technologists a rapid, low-cost way to gain the specific skills needed to take on roles within the tech industry. 

Google’s career certificate program has now been integrated into the teaching at a number of colleges and school systems, as well as into community-based nonprofits, including Per Scholas, who do cohort based programs and provide coaching along the way for learners earning certificates. Per Scholas has partnered with Google since 2012, and we offer Google IT Support Professional Certificates earn-able through our IT Support training program, which are also available for Per Scholas alumni for up to three years post-graduation.

Read the full article here!

Per Scholas Alum and Director of Business Solutions, Wayne Wilson, recently spoke with CIO about how Per Scholas’ rigorous training sets learners up for ultimate success in the technology industry. Our tuition-free model equips learners with important skill sets and professional development training through a fast-tracked program to get them into the job market as soon as possible – all without incurring years of college debt. Having gone through the rigorous enrollment and training process, Per Scholas learners emerge as top tier talent that are armed with both the practical skill sets and professional development needed to thrive in a career in tech.

After training is complete, Per Scholas alumni work closely with our Business Solutions Team, which strives to make meaningful pairings between alumni and hiring businesses. Per Scholas collaborates with partners and other employers to identify job openings that align with training efforts, and connect them with learners who have completed relevant training. Alumni also have access to internal resources that help them find and navigate a new career.

Finally, in our ongoing mission to promote DEIB in the tech industry, Per Scholas works closely with organizations to break down misconceptions and stereotypes around traditional hiring structures, and encourage skills-based hiring.

CIO also interviewed Marie Cari, a first-generation immigrant from Albania and Per Scholas Software Engineering graduate. Marie now works as a Software Engineer at Bank of America, and is grateful for her experience at Per Scholas in helping her expedite the learning process without incurring debt. “I had compared going to Per Scholas to staying in college and going the traditional route,” Marie told CIO. “However, Per Scholas was able to educate me and get me ready for the corporate world in every aspect within months. I didn’t have to go into college debt like my friends did or wait years in order to get the career I wanted,” she reflected.Read more on Wayne’s reflections about our training and Marie’s interview here!

We are excited to announce that Per Scholas Greater Boston has been selected as the recipient of a $1 million grant from the Commonwealth Corporation of Massachusetts! Commonwealth Corporation is a community-based organization that works to promote workforce equity in Massachusetts by “delivering innovative and collaborative professional development solutions that help diverse communities and employers succeed.” Like Per Scholas, Commonwealth Corporation believes that opportunity for meaningful employment can lead to upward mobility for all.

In early November, the Healey-Driscoll Administration of Massachusetts announced nearly $6.4 million in Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grants to seven organizations statewide. The grants were funded through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF) and distributed by the Commonwealth Corporation, and the aim is to increase access to well-paying jobs for Massachusetts residents facing employment barriers, scale effective career pathway programs, and enhance worker skill and productivity. 

Per Scholas was one of 7 Massachusetts-based initiatives selected for their work in “developing and implementing employer-responsive programs to place participants into unsubsidized employment in targeted occupations and create opportunities for underemployed and unemployed individuals to access high-quality, in-demand training programs.”

The grants were presented at Open Sky Community Services, Inc., another grant recipient, in an event that was attended by Per Scholas’ Site Director Tyrone Ramnath and Director of Business Solutions Bernadette Deleon-Rees. The funding will be instrumental in helping Per Scholas expand its reach in the Greater Boston area, covering the resources needed to train even more learners in the coming year.

Read more about the grant awarded here!

OnePoll conducted a random double-opt-in survey of 650 C-suite executives, 100 hiring managers, and 1,500 office workers, commissioned by Per Scholas. This is the first time Per Scholas has commissioned a survey of this magnitude. This survey revealed the extent to which every role will require a level of tech knowledge in the next 10 years.

Results showed 98% of C-suite executives feel tech skills are likely to be essential across every work sector in the next 10 years — with three-quarters of employees (75%) acutely aware that tech knowledge will be a must-have for them.

And while we may have a decade until the tech skills necessity infiltrates previously non-technological working roles, the data showed a majority of workers aren’t waiting to be caught cold — 57% are currently upskilling (acquiring new knowledge or competencies) either through their employer or individual means.

Download the full report here. 

Per Scholas Receives Donation from Amazon as Part of TNF For Good, in Partnership with NFL Inspire Change

Per Scholas New York’s Brooklyn Campus Receives Support for Local Technologists from Amazon and NFL Inspire Change

 

BROOKLYN, New York (November 27, 2023) –  Per Scholas New York’s Brooklyn campus was visited last week by representatives from our partners at NFL Inspire Change and Amazon. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, former Jets player and NFL Hall of Famer Curtis Martin, Head of Global Sports on Prime Video, Jay Marine, Thursday Night Football Host Taylor Rooks, and Amazon volunteers were in attendance and participated in a panel discussion with Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala, Per Scholas Chief Revenue Officer Caitlyn Brazill, Per Scholas New York Managing Director Debbie Roman, and 11 Per Scholas New York learners.

During the panel, attendees discussed Per Scholas, Amazon, and the NFL’s unified recognition that talent is found in every community, but opportunity is not. Per Scholas’ mission is to provide access to that opportunity, opening on-ramps for individuals to break into the tech world, unlocking their potential, and ultimately building more sustainable and diverse tech talent pipelines.

Per Scholas is thrilled to announce we received a $100,000 grant from Amazon, which will allow us to continue offering our no-cost training to learners across the country, unlocking their potential and equipping them to launch high-growth careers in tech. This grant will also help support our Brooklyn campus, which sustained damage from a recent hurricane. “We’re grateful for Amazon and the NFL’s continued support in changing the face of tech,” Plinio said. “With their commitment, we’re able to continue providing no-cost tech training to future technologists, unlocking their potential, and advancing economic equity in communities across the country.”

Learners in attendance were thrilled to meet our esteemed guests and provided a brief demonstration of some of the IT skills they have mastered so far in the course. They all received NFL Inspire Change footballs, Microsoft Surface tablets, and tickets to the Black Friday New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins game. This visit was part of the final feature of the TNF For Good program shown during the Black Friday football game. 

About Per Scholas
For more than 25 years, Per Scholas has been advancing equity and increasing opportunity across America. Per Scholas unlocks potential for individuals, communities, and employers through rigorous training for careers in tech. Partnering with dynamic employer partners, from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we are building sustainable and diverse talent pipelines, together changing the face of tech. With national remote training and campuses in 20+ cities and growing, Per Scholas offers tuition-free training in the most in-demand tech skills, including Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more.

To date, more than 20,000 individuals have gained the skills to launch high-growth tech careers, earning three times their pre-training wage. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is in our DNA: 85 percent of Per Scholas learners are people of color, two in five are women, and more than half have a high school diploma as their highest education credential. Visit PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About the NFL

Inspire Change is a year-round initiative that highlights the impactful social justice work done by NFL players, clubs, the league office, and grant partners to break down barriers to opportunity and end systemic racism. Since 2017, the NFL Family has provided $300 million to more than 40 national grant partners and more than 600 grassroots organizations to advance social justice causes in the areas of education, economic advancement, police-community relations, and criminal justice reform. To date, the NFL Foundation has provided more than 1,800 Inspire Change matching grants to current NFL players and Legends for nonprofits of their choice to help reduce barriers to opportunity. To learn more about the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative and to view the 2023 Social Justice Impact Report, visit www.nfl.com/inspirechange. Follow @InspireChange on Twitter and Instagram. On Facebook, follow www.facebook.com/inspirechange.

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Holiday Impact Prize Announces Per Scholas as a 2023 Winner

Annual award presented by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof raises millions for featured organizations.

Campaign for donations and volunteer recruitment open through January 31, 2024.

 

NEW YORK, November 20, 2023: This year’s annual Holiday Impact Prize has announced Per Scholas as a 2023 winner for our work advancing economic equity through rigorous training, professional development, and employer connections in IT careers for individuals who don’t otherwise have access to such opportunities. 

The Holiday Impact Prize is presented by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and supported by Focusing Philanthropy. It connects Kristof’s readers to exciting opportunities to donate and volunteer each holiday season. Since 2019, the Holiday Impact Prize and the special edition C-19 Impact Initiative have together raised over $34 million and recruited over 4,600 volunteers for the organizations featured. 

This year’s Prize honors three previous winners as part of a special readers’ favorites edition: Per Scholas, CAMFED, and OneGoal. Each organization will receive $50,000 in addition to donations raised from readers. The campaign also recognizes one volunteer opportunity, Welcome.US, for its work facilitating the private sponsorship of refugees seeking safety in the United States.

For the first time, Kristof’s three Holiday Impact Prize winners will also become beneficiaries of the New York Times Communities Fund. Formerly known as the Neediest Cases Fund, the annual initiative has encouraged readers to donate to charitable causes since 1911. Now in its 112th year, the campaign has raised over $330 million for nonprofit organizations that have helped countless people improve their circumstances.  

“I’m humbled by the generosity of the Communities Fund in adding this year’s Holiday Impact Prize winners to its list of beneficiary organizations. It is exciting to have the opportunity to introduce the broader New York Times audience to these deserving organizations, augmenting the reach of The Holiday Impact Prize and ultimately providing more people with life-changing support,” said Nicholas Kristof.

Since 2009, Kristof has written an annual “holiday gift guide” column to bridge a philanthropic gap: readers who wanted to help but didn’t know how and heroic individuals and organizations who desperately needed resources but were off donors’ radar. These columns have helped raise the profiles of nonprofits that work on the very issues he covers in his journalism—health, education, climate, human rights, and women’s rights, both domestically and abroad. In 2019, Kristof introduced his Holiday Impact Prize as a way to increase donations and create a more ambitious campaign.

“The holidays are a time when we can come together and try to help others. I’m grateful to supporters who have made it possible for the Holiday Impact Prize to continue into this fifth year. Your contributions have aided remarkable organizations working to make the world a better place,” said Kristof. “I’m delighted to welcome back a few organizations that readers particularly loved so we can help the most people possible this holiday season.”

“For Per Scholas to be among 2023’s Holiday Impact Prize honorees is pivotal. We’ll grow our Career Access Fund, which removes barriers and closes the equity gap for thousands of diverse future technologists across America. The value of an opportunity like the Holiday Impact Prize is far greater than the sum of the dollars we will raise and will empower donors to help break down those barriers and grow opportunities for diverse tech talent,” said Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas.

Anyone looking to join in and make a difference can donate or sign-up to volunteer through January 31, 2024 by visiting KristofImpact.org. For more information, read Kristof’s holiday giving column in The New York Times.

Focusing Philanthropy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that finds and funds high-impact, scalable programs around the world, provides the platform for this initiative by processing readers’ contributions, monitoring and reporting on results, and replenishing credit card transaction costs of donations made on KristofImpact.org so that 100 cents on the dollar will support the winning organizations.

About the Honorees 

• CAMFED: Across rural Africa – where 95% of girls from the lowest-income communities never complete high school – CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education) addresses the complex barriers to their success. CAMFED provides school fees, supplies, menstrual products, bicycles or boarding, and builds a community support network around each girl: trained teachers, CAMFED graduates, and parent groups look after her psychosocial and learning needs. Girls supported by CAMFED achieve up to five times the learning gains and are three times more likely to stay in school than their peers. Graduates join the CAMFED Association, a sisterhood of leaders already 250,000 strong. As teachers, health workers, and climate-smart entrepreneurs, each member financially supports (on average) three more girls in school. This Multiplier Effect drives scale and sustainability. It takes just $150 to fund a girl’s education for a year. In turn, she’ll triple your investment, helping to build an equitable future for all.

• OneGoal: Throughout the country, only 22% of students from low-income communities earn a postsecondary degree compared to 67% of their peers from high-income areas. OneGoal’s three-year program helps students from low-income backgrounds identify paths to success, navigate the system, and enroll in their choice of postsecondary institution. The model leverages the talents of existing high school teachers to deliver OneGoal as a daily, credit-bearing class in 11th and 12th grade and continues with remote support through the critical first year of a student’s postsecondary education. 81% of OneGoal high school graduates enroll in a postsecondary institution, and 73% persist one year later–rates that even outpace students from high-income communities. An independent study by the University of Chicago found that OneGoal students are 40% more likely to earn their postsecondary degrees than students from similar backgrounds. Your investment can help OneGoal close the opportunity gap for thousands more young people annually. $1,500 provides a student with a full year of OneGoal instruction, advising, and support.

 

• Per Scholas: In 30 of the largest metropolitan regions in the U.S. today, 10 million people have at least a high school diploma but earn less than $25,000 a year. The same regions are home to 1.4 million well-paying tech jobs that don’t require a college degree. Per Scholas is a national organization that prepares individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. In 15 weeks or less, Per Scholas learners (85% people of color, 40% women) gain knowledge and skills, earn industry recognized credentials, and graduate as highly attractive candidates for technology roles at companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies. 85% of learners graduate and 80% of graduates are hired within one year at an average of three times their pre-training wage. Every $700 donated covers the cost of supplies and resources for a learner to participate in Per Scholas’s tuition-free training and join the diverse talent pipeline that is changing the face of tech.

 

• Welcome.US: Welcome.US partners with the U.S. government to allow everyday Americans to sponsor and provide critical support for a refugee family in their community. Americans signed up to sponsor more refugees in the first 18 months of the launch of private sponsorship programs than the U.S. government has admitted in the last 20 years combined. Following the success of private sponsorship for Ukranians and Latin Americans, American citizens and permanent residents can now sponsor refugees worldwide. Support can take many forms: helping with furnishing a home, job applications, enrolling children in school, grocery shopping, doctor visits, the process for getting a driver’s license—daily routines in the U.S. that can be daunting to a newcomer. Sign up on Welcome.US to join the two million+ Americans who have raised their hands to be a bridge to safety for people seeking refuge. Becoming a sponsor uplifts entire communities and is an opportunity to change lives—including your own. 

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Per Scholas Named to The New York Times Communities Fund

  

The New York Times Communities Fund continues the legacy of “The Neediest Cases Fund” by supporting local, national and global nonprofits that provide direct support to under-resourced and over-burdened people

 

NEW YORK, N.Y., Nov. 14, 2023 — Today, The New York Times Communities Fund announced that Per Scholas will be featured in this year’s annual campaign. Per Scholas joins CAMFED, Catholic Charities of Archdiocese of New York, Children’s Aid, Feeding America, First Book, Hispanic Federation, International Rescue Committee, OneGoal, and UJA-Federation of New York in this recognition.

For 112 years, The New York Times Communities Fund – formerly known as The Neediest Cases Fund – has encouraged readers to help people who are under-resourced and over-burdened and has coordinated a holiday season giving campaign as a direct way to do just that. To date, The Fund has raised over $330 million for nonprofit organizations that have helped countless individuals improve their circumstances and lead more enriching lives.

“The dollars we raise will help us expand economic prosperity because training at Per Scholas uplifts not only individuals but families and communities as well. This value cannot be overstated,” reflected Per Scholas President & CEO Plinio Ayala. “I am grateful for The New York Times Communities Fund amplifying our message and impact. With this fund, more than 5,000 Americans next year will have an opportunity to launch a thriving career in tech they wouldn’t otherwise have.”

For more than 25 years, Per Scholas has been advancing equity and increasing opportunity across America. Per Scholas unlocks potential for individuals, communities, and employers through rigorous training for careers in tech. The exposure and impact that The New York Times Communities Fund provides for Per Scholas’ mission and work can transform our ability to change the face of tech. Lack of access is a barrier to entry in the tech industry, and Per Scholas can empower readers to help break down that barrier and grow opportunities for diverse tech talent. Learn more about Per Scholas’ mission and work at PerScholas.org.

To donate to The New York Times Communities Fund or for more information, click here!

About The New York Times Communities Fund

The New York Times Communities Fund is a 501(c)3 organization and The New York Times Company pays all administrative costs of the program, ensuring that 100 percent of the donations go to the organizations that The Fund supports. The campaign works in close collaboration with nonprofit Focusing Philanthropy to maximize impact.

About Per Scholas 

For more than 25 years, Per Scholas has been advancing equity and increasing opportunity across America. Per Scholas unlocks potential for individuals, communities, and employers through rigorous training for careers in tech. Partnering with dynamic employer partners, from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we are building sustainable and diverse talent pipelines, together changing the face of tech. With national remote training and campuses in 20+ cities and growing, Per Scholas offers tuition-free training in the most in-demand tech skills, including Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more.

To date, more than 20,000 individuals have gained the skills to launch high-growth tech careers, earning three times their pre-training wage. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is in our DNA: 85 percent of Per Scholas learners are people of color, two in five are women, and more than half have a high school diploma as their highest education credential. Visit PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

Per Scholas is excited to announce that we received a $1 million grant from JPMorgan Chase to help expand apprenticeship opportunities for learners and scale programs for in-demand occupations.

We are one of four organizations to receive the philanthropic commitment totaling $3.5 million. This commitment will support Per Scholas in developing and piloting a new cybersecurity apprenticeship initiative, which addresses a critical labor shortage while testing a sustainable, innovative, earn-and-learn approach to achieving economic mobility.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous investment, which will increase our impact and create economic mobility for thousands of individuals in communities across the country, including an anticipated $80M generated in first-year wages for new cyber technologists historically underrepresented in the cybersecurity space,” said Per Scholas President & CEO Plinio Ayala. “We are excited to partner with employers across the country to make this program a success and help close the cybersecurity skills gap.”

This support will also help us expand our existing suite of cybersecurity training programs to reach more learners annually, recruiting unemployed and underemployed talent from Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Newark, St. Louis and Greater Washington region.

Read the full press release here.

Per Scholas Seattle Establishes Advisory Board

Leaders from Technology Contribute to Transform America’s

Tech Workforce in the Pacific Northwest.

Per Scholas Seattle today announces the establishment of its inaugural Advisory Board. Leaders from technology will contribute their time and talent to supporting Per Scholas Seattle and its mission to transform America’s technology workforce through rigorous tech skills training.

Inaugural Per Scholas Seattle Advisory Board Members include:

• Ashley Russell, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Amazon
• DeiMarlon Scisney, Founder/CEO, HOP
• Kevin Wang, Founder, Mentors in Tech

“The establishment of our Advisory Board is a pivotal milestone for Per Scholas Seattle. Having the leadership and talent exemplified by this board aligned with our mission gives me a great deal of confidence that we will further our impact in the Puget Sound region as we continue our work of connecting skilled talent to careers in tech,” stated Per Scholas Seattle Managing Director Brian McRae.

Since opening in 2021, more than 200 learners have graduated from Per Scholas Seattle and have gone on to employment in tech roles at a variety of companies across the city – from large financial service institutions to small startups. 

Per Scholas Seattle is grateful for Founder’s Circle partners TEKsystems as well as generous support from Comcast, the Norcliffe Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  

Currently, Per Scholas Seattle offers a variety of tech training courses including Software Engineering, IT Support, and more. To learn more, please visit www.PerScholas.org/seattle.

 

Phoenix, AZ (November 1, 2023): Per Scholas, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing economic mobility for underserved communities through IT training and job placement, welcomes you to an open house event at its new Phoenix campus on Friday, November 3. 

Community members in attendance will learn more about Per Scholas and their transformative work in providing training, certification, and job placement services for individuals looking to break into the technology industry. 

“We are excited to welcome the Phoenix community to our open house and showcase the incredible impact that Per Scholas has in empowering individuals with IT skills and career opportunities,” said Jaclyn Boyes, Regional Senior Vice President. “We are dedicated to providing a pathway to economic mobility for underrepresented communities, and this event is an excellent opportunity for the community to meet our team, understand our programs, and connect with our mission.”

Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with the newest Per Scholas Phoenix team member, Managing Director Jerry J. McPherson, who joined in June 2023.

An economic activist, community leader, and dedicated change agent for unrepresented communities, McPherson brings a wealth of experience to his role, having previously served as the Director of Economic Empowerment at the Greater Phoenix Urban League, serving as a CPA in both public and private practice and is a proud veteran of the United States Military. 

“Throughout my career, my primary focus has been on creating economic opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for others,” shares McPherson. “The technology industry offers a unique platform for career growth and financial stability that many from underserved communities have not benefited from. At Per Scholas, we are unlocking potential and harnessing the power of the evolving tech sector to make transformational change. I am honored to lead this team dedicated to changing the face of tech right here in Arizona.”

McPherson is an accomplished leader with recognitions that include “40 Under 40” by both the Phoenix Business Journal and CPA Practice Advisor. 

Come meet the Per Scholas staff, alumni, and community partners and discover how you can be a part of Phoenix’s vibrant tech ecosystem.

When: Friday, November 3

Time: 1:30 p.m. — 5 p.m. 

Where: Per Scholas Phoenix, 3003 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 85012

The event will feature a networking mixer, door prizes, refreshments and appetizers, and campus tours. Individuals are encouraged to register their attendance. 

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 22 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 20,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org.