Per Scholas is proud to have been featured in the Center for an Urban Future and The Bronx Community Foundation’s report: “50 Ideas for a Stronger and More Equitable Bronx.”

Although The Bronx is overflowing with opportunity, the report’s creators wrote, many Bronx residents still face “grave affordability challenges, as well as gaps in access to health care, open space, technology, and financial services…[As well as] steep barriers to obtaining the well-paying jobs that are growing in today’s economy.”

The Center for an Urban Future and The Bronx Community Foundation are dedicated to addressing the borough’s biggest challenges, expand on its potential, and lay a foundation for a stronger and more equitable borough. Their “50 Ideas for a Stronger and More Equitable Bronx” report presents 50 concrete policy ideas for what the Mayor, City Council members, the Bronx Borough President, and other city leaders can do to “help more Bronx residents get on the path to the middle class, strengthen social infrastructure, address the affordability crisis, close longstanding racial and ethnic opportunity gaps, improve the health of residents, and bolster neighborhoods across the borough.”

Per Scholas was featured on the list amongst other innovative programs, organizations, and ideas, and was recognized for it’s ability to provide an accessible, cost free skills training program, available to Bronx residents.

Read the full report here.

Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala recently contributed a chapter to Next Generation Evidence: Strategies for More Equitable Social Impact. In it, he recalls Per Scholas’ overnight transition to remote courses as a result of COVID-19. For the two decades prior, Per Scholas conducted our teaching in person to mimic the workplace, which we believed contributed to our success. To keep our training going, we took this as an opportunity to see how our program and learners fared remotely. We began collecting remote participants’ feedback from both the learners and staff. This feedback allowed us to make changes in real-time; we saw what we did right and learned what to improve on. When Barrow Street Consulting conducted an analysis over the summer of 2020, the learner Net Promoter Score was a success – scoring a 67 out of a 100 (the range is -100 to 100, with a typical score in the for-profit sector ranges between a 30 and 40). The feedback from this made us realize that in-person is not the only way for us to successfully provide teaching, and we now continue to offer remote options. 

Read the rest of Plinio’s reflection on this experience here. 

With support from the PwC Charitable Foundation, Per Scholas is excited to be launching a new initiative, Per Scholas Vets in Tech: Unlocking Potential for the Military Community. The initiative will target and engage the Military Community to generate a robust pipeline of learners affiliated with the U.S. Armed Forces. Through the Per Scholas Vets in Tech initiative, Per Scholas will enroll 900 transitioning Military Veterans and Military Spouses over the next three years, with an emphasis on recruiting female and minority learners. As with all our learners, these Military Community learners will receive the technical training, support, and career guidance needed to help enable them to launch successful careers in tech. 

A Closer Look at the Per Scholas Vets in Tech Initiative

Learners enter our courses from an array of backgrounds, seeking the skills and certifications necessary to launch careers in tech, and a consistent portion of our learners are Military Veterans and Spouses looking to start careers in IT as they transition to civilian life. Individuals enrolled in our courses will obtain immersive, cohort-based, and tuition-free training courses conducted full-time over 12-15 weeks in various disciplines, including AWS, Cybersecurity, IT Support, Software Engineering.

These training courses lead directly to industry-recognized credentials and equip learners with in-demand technical and professional skills that prepare them for success in technology careers, with in-house support to connect directly to employment opportunities post-graduation. Veteran alumni will also have access to no-cost alumni upskilling opportunities to foster wage/career advancement for 2+ years post-graduation.

In addition to technical training, Per Scholas Vets in Tech initiative contains several components:

1. Technical and Professional Development Training: Per Scholas training is 80% technical training focused on in-demand tech skills. The training is also hands-on so alumni are ready to dive into their careers with experience. Additionally, 20% of the training focuses on professional development. Our Learner Support Team and Financial Coaches provide individualized resources and services that support the unique barriers that veterans and their families face as well as ongoing peer support with other veterans to encourage retention. This aspect ensures alumni have the soft skills needed to succeed in the workforce. 
2. Access to our Employer Network: Per Scholas partners with 850+ employers to connect our learners and alumni with leading businesses. Our business solutions teams partner closely with each Veteran alumni to prepare them for interviews with our employer networking and beyond to land jobs to jumpstart their high-demand careers.
3. Strategic Partnerships: Per Scholas is cultivating partnerships with US Armed Forces Support Organizations, military bases, and veteran-friendly employers to recruit eligible veterans, provide supportive resources, and provide direct connections for employment.

Our outreach is national for this initiative so we can include all of our Military Community, however there is a focus at nine of our campuses, selected based on factors such as local numbers of veterans in the workforce, staff capacity, and more. These nine markets include: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, and those in the Military Community are encouraged to apply to any of our campuses local to them. 

Why the Per Scholas Vets in Tech Initiative is Important

1. Approximately 200,000 men and women leave U.S. military service each year and return to civilian life. These individuals can face significant challenges during this transitional period, particularly in terms of finding employment. 
2. More than 174,000 additional jobs will be available in technology in 2023. While there may be tech layoffs throughout the world, there are still hundreds of thousands of tech positions in all industries – not just with technology companies. 
3. Per Scholas is passionate about the Veteran and Military Spouse community and connecting them with leading businesses with high-growth tech careers. We are excited to work with Veterans and their families to help them unlock their potential.

Additionally, Veterans may struggle to translate skills earned through service into employment opportunities at civilian companies and face physical and mental health barriers to mobility:

• 20% of post-9/11 veterans have no college degree
• 6.6% of working veterans with a high school-or-lower education level are living in poverty
• 43% of post-9/11 veterans are people of color, and 18% are women, both of whom face poorer economic outcomes than white, male veterans

We look at these statistics and know that Per Scholas can support the Veteran and Military Spouse community that face barriers to career mobility with our training.

Meet Some of Our Veteran Alumni

Through Per Scholas Vet in Tech training, a number of Military Community members have been able to launch new, thriving careers in tech after completing their military service. Let’s meet some of our veteran alumni!

Aaron Webb was an HR Specialist in the Military before applying to Per Scholas. He tried to go to college through his G.I. Bill, but realized that that route was not beneficial to him or his learning style. Aaron joined Per Scholas Pittsburgh’s Desktop Support course and appreciated how Per Scholas’ boot camp-style training was similar to his military boot camp, in which he learned a lot in a short period of time. Aaron felt very supported by his instructors and classmates throughout the course. He graduated with his CompTIA A+ certification and is now pursuing his CCNA certification. Aaron is excited for his future career trajectory and aims to become a full network engineer and explore cloud computing, both of which he is learning more about through his IT Implementation Senior Analyst position at Tenaris. Read more about Aaron here!

Antwan Grant served in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from high school, then took a coding class, which fueled her interest in IT. Pursuing this, Antwan came across Per Scholas Atlanta, and was accepted into the Software Engineering program. Antwan found the coursework difficult and daunting, but she was motivated to continue by her instructors and her family who rooted for her throughout the process. Antwan now works as a Java Automation Test Engineer at Interapt, and helps give back to her Veteran community by serving as a member of American Legion. Learn more about Antwan’s story here

Todd Theobald was unsure what career path he wanted to follow after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. While in the Marines, he had worked a great deal with computers, and recognized in himself a real interest in and affinity for IT, but, without any technical certifications, Todd struggled to land a job in the field. He joined Per Scholas Orlando’s Desktop Support course and enjoyed his time in the program, appreciating its structured approach to the material, including well-defined goals, schedules, and syllabuses. After graduating with his CompTIA A+ certification, Todd landed a Tier 1 Service Desk Analyst job at Advent Health. He enjoys his job and is excited to learn as much as possible and grow his career. Read more about Todd’s journey as a technologist here!

How to Apply

We are excited for the launch of Per Scholas Vets in Tech: Unlocking Potential for the Military Community, which will help equip a significant number of Military Veterans and Military Spouses with the skills and training necessary to land high-growth, well-paying jobs in tech over the next few years. 

Tech is an excellent field for those looking to transition to civilian life due to its flexibility, variability, and the high demand for technical workers. Furthermore, many of the skills learned and utilized in military service are highly applicable to work in many technical jobs. On average, 80% of our veteran graduates obtain jobs within one year of graduation, earning on average at least 3x of their pre-training wage.

For those in the Military Community interested in applying, please visit our Veterans initiative landing page here. 

In December, Forbes highlighted Per Scholas as one of three organizations who are leading the way for apprenticeships. With technology constantly advancing and changing, employers cannot keep up with the demand for talent that are equipped to deal with these challenges. Apprenticeships are one way to bridge this talent gap. So far, Per Scholas has placed 47 apprentices at insurance company Nationwide over the last three years and over 80% of those apprentices move to full-time positions.

Read more about the future of apprenticeships at Per Scholas and beyond here!

Per Scholas was excited and honored to welcome Daniel West, Vice President of Social Impact at BlackRock as the keynote speaker at our last Per Scholas New York graduation of 2023. The ceremony celebrated 33 graduates of a Cybersecurity cohort co-hosted with our satellite partner, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation. 

BlackRock has partnered with Per Scholas since 2018 to create paths to financial security by providing individuals often excluded from tech careers with skills training and access to high-growth opportunities in the tech sector. This partnership has been pivotal in many Per Scholas initiatives, including our scale to remote training during the Covid pandemic, building and expanding our training capacity and options, the launch of our newest campus in Houston, and more.

In his commencement address, Mr. West celebrated the incredible achievements, determination, hard work, and limitless future potential of each graduate, as well as the foundation that had been set within each of them for a lifetime of continuous learning. 

“This is a momentous occasion, not just for each of you individually, but for the communities you come from, and for the transformative power of education in the pursuit of a brighter future,” West said. “Your unique perspectives, informed by the tapestry of your individual stories, will contribute to innovative solutions, and foster more inclusive workplaces…You have the potential to shape the future, not only for yourselves but for those who will follow in your footsteps. Armed with your education and the foundation laid at Per Scholas, I have no doubt that each of you will indeed change the world.”

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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