Since 2012, Per Scholas has partnered with Barclays, empowering our learners and alumni to unlock their potential. Recently, Barclays hosted a volunteer event at their Times Square location for our learners and alumni, which included mock interviews and networking opportunities with Barclays employees. In addition to the event, Per Scholas alumni currently working at Barclays were featured on Barclays’ large screens in Times Square, showing that our collaboration is about more than just jobs—it’s about mentorship and empowerment.

“Per Scholas technologists are incredibly determined to be successful,” Eliza Tam, Managing Director at Barclays, reflected following the mock interview volunteer event. “Their commitment and determination set them apart from the rest.” Such sentiments echo the notion that Barclays’ support runs deep and that they have an engaging role as partners and as managers.

Eliza met Jeff Ates at a Per Scholas mock interview event years ago while he was still a learner, and it was at that event that she knew Jeff had what it took to become a leader in the industry. 

Per Scholas was a perfect fit for Jeff, as it would provide him with the specific skills and job-readiness training needed to directly launch his career. Jeff was accepted into Per Scholas New York’s 2018 Cybersecurity cohort. Shortly thereafter, he was hired at Barclays for an accelerated apprenticeship opportunity, which quickly grew into his current role as a Unix System Administrator, which was a direct result of the networking portion of the mock interview event with Barclays. “I’ve got my dream job,” Jeff reflected. “My life has changed completely…financially, I’m doing way better than I ever projected. The work/life balance is also great, which is good for my work style.” Jeff continues to excel in his role and is eager to continue his career in technology. 

Our partnership with Barclays has enabled us to expand Per Scholas’ capacity to create stronger connections with a broad range of employers, establishing a sustainable tech talent pipeline across the nation and contributing to the development and implementation of our cybersecurity curriculum, which has trained more than 2,300 technologists. 

We are grateful for our partnership with Barclays, and look forward to more volunteer events including the recent mock interview event, which showcase the multiple facets of our innovative partnership. 

Per Scholas is thrilled to have been selected for a grant renewal with the NFL as part of their Inspire Change social justice initiative. Per Scholas was one of 10 nonprofit partners selected for the measurable positive change they are enacting across the country. 

“We’re thrilled to continue unlocking potential across the country in partnership with the NFL Foundation and Inspire Change’s support,” said Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala. “With this extended commitment, Per Scholas will continue to provide no-cost tech training to future technologists, unlocking their potential and advancing economic equity for communities across the nation, including the launch of our newest campus in Kansas City.” 

Read more here. 

Per Scholas is thrilled to announce that New York Governor Kathy Hochul has awarded our organization a $1 million grant through the New York State Office of Strategic Workforce Development. This funding will support the launch of a new tech training campus in Buffalo, aimed at providing high-demand technical skills and robust support services to local residents.

The grant is part of a broader initiative in which $8.7 million was awarded to 11 employer-driven, high-skilled workforce training programs across New York State, promoting innovative approaches and best practices that reduce the barriers to participation for high-need communities.These efforts aim to support nearly 1,700 trainees through collaborations between training providers and over 60 business partners in sectors such as construction, industrial manufacturing, renewable energy, and software engineering.

“New York is making sure that the State is well prepared with the talent and workforce of the future,” Governor Hochul said. “This latest round of strategic workforce development grants will continue our mission to ensure that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to gain skills needed by top employers, especially those who have been traditionally left behind.”

Read more about the announcement here.

On June 18th, Per Scholas’s Deputy Chief Training Officer, Noah Mitchell, will be joining national panel of experts in a webinar hosted by Grantmakers for Education. Attendees will discuss the growth and impact of skills-based training programs like Per Scholas, and what this growth means for “traditional” higher education.

Web panelists in attendance included:

• Noah Mitchell, Per Scholas
• Carolyn Lee, Ascendium Education Group
• Frieda Molina, MDRC
• Rebecca Taber Staehelin, Merit America
• Garrett Warfield, Year Up

Read more about the panel and register here.

Per Scholas Chief of Staff Tamara Johnson joined teams from across the nation this week in a discussion hosted by the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) to build a strong cyber workforce in the U.S. More than 500,000 cybersecurity positions are currently open across the country, according to the White House. 

“Access to diverse communities, assessing aptitude, and retention are among the top challenges shared by employers in the room at the White House event. Any solution to solving the cyber talent gap will need to address these three challenges in a scalable way,” Tamara said. 

Per Scholas was invited to share the innovative ways our model boosts the cyber workforce – and connects underrepresented professionals with high-impact careers. Per Scholas commits to the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy, where we lead the effort to train 5,000 cyber learners over the next 5 years and grow its national Registered Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program to 40 cyber apprentices in 2024.

The event featured remarks from White House leaders and voices from across a dozen industries, including Per Scholas Pittsburgh alum Dominic Ragghianti. Learn more about the nationwide effort in the latest White House press release.

As cyber risks increase, so does the need for skilled cyber talent. However, a critical talent shortage is leaving organizations scrambling for solutions. Employers and the government are exploring innovative recruitment and training methods to address this gap. One solution is Per Scholas’ new cybersecurity apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. Through this program, we will train 40 apprentices by the end of the year, with a goal of training 5K cyber learners during the next five years.

“Apprenticeships are not internships,” says Alanna Hughes, senior vice president of strategy and innovation for Per Scholas. “Registered apprenticeships do not have to be bureaucratic nightmares just because they are more structured,” she says. “We make it easier on the employer to take advantage of the perks by managing the administrative pieces.”

Read more about the need for cyber talent and our new apprenticeship program here!

Last year, Per Scholas joined the Defense Department Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program and Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) for an induction ceremony and annual event in Alexandria, Virginia. Per Scholas joins more than 70 new partners to MSEP — bringing the number of employers to more than 700.

Military spouses have long struggled with maintaining employment due to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and other challenges associated with military life. Unemployment among military spouses stood at 21%, according to the 2021 Survey of Active Duty Spouses. In 2022, overall civilian unemployment was 5.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

MSEP connects military spouses with hundreds of partner employers who commit to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses. Since its inception in 2011, MSEP employers have hired more than 275,000 military spouses. 

Providing opportunities to spouses for meaningful employment strengthens financial stability among military families, which promotes force retention and military readiness which are essential to national security.

“Per Scholas is proud to be part of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership through our Vets in Tech initiative. Our outreach goes beyond Veterans – we know the impact a thriving career has on military spouses and the military community as a whole,” states Per Scholas Director of Veteran Recruitment and Partnerships George Darby III. “This partnership will unlock key benefits and crucial support, and enable Per Scholas to enroll at least 1,000 veterans and military spouses over 3 years, of whom at least 80% will be people of color and 20% identify as women.” 

In order to effectively serve those who have served our country, Per Scholas is tailoring our proven program to meet the specific needs of veterans and military spouses through:

• Strategic Partnerships to recruit eligible veterans and military spouses, provide supportive resources, and assist with job attainment
• Targeted Recruitment Efforts that focus on customized recruitment materials, local partnerships, advertising on military platforms, and uncovering connections between veteran alums
• Learner Support to address the unique barriers that veterans and their families face
• Benefits Access for enrolled learners through GI Bill/VA Approval; Department of Defense Skillbridge; Army Career Skills Program (CSP), and Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) and this partnership

To learn more about Per Scholas Vets in Tech, click here!

As part of Per Scholas’ ongoing dedication to empowering veterans and military spouses, we are thrilled to share that Per Scholas recently received approval from the Department of Defense Skillbridge program, designed to support transitioning service members across all branches of the military, of whom there are 200,000 each year, by allowing service members to continue drawing their full salary and benefits while pursuing specific industry training, apprenticeships, or internships to gain valuable civilian work experience during their last 180 days of service.

Thanks to the impactful connections we’ve built over the past year, our application was accelerated for approval in record time, allowing Per Scholas to begin empowering veterans and military spouses to launch thriving careers in tech. This approval applies to our most popular training track: IT Support, and we are actively seeking approvals for our remaining training tracks (Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and AWS re/Start). With a strategic rollout aimed at increasing awareness among service members that they may now access their salary while enrolled in our program during their last six months of service, we anticipate a marked growth not just in the number of applications we receive, but the conversion rate for active service members seeking to translate skills acquired during their service into high-quality careers.

Per Scholas aims to enroll at least 1,000 veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses over the next three years. In line with our commitment to diversity, we expect that at least 80% will be people of color, and at least 20% will be women. 

“The Skillbridge program approval is monumental for Per Scholas, veterans, and military spouses. Through our Vets in Tech initiative and Skillbridge approval, we will be able to unlock potential for the military community,” states Per Scholas  Director of Veteran Recruitment and Partnerships George Darby III. “This will unlock key benefits and crucial support, and enable Per Scholas to enroll at least 1,000 veterans and military spouses over 3 years and gain valuable civilian work experience during their last 180 days of service.”

In order to effectively serve those who have served our country, Per Scholas is tailoring our proven program to meet the specific needs of veterans and military spouses through:

• Strategic Partnerships to recruit eligible veterans and military spouses, provide supportive resources, and assist with job attainment
• Targeted Recruitment Efforts that focus on customized recruitment materials, local partnerships, advertising on military platforms, and uncovering connections between veteran alums
• Learner Support to address the unique barriers that veterans and their families face
• Benefits Access for enrolled learners through GI Bill/VA Approval; Department of Defense Skillbridge; Army Career Skills Program (CSP), and Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses (VET TEC) and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)

To learn more about Per Scholas Vets in Tech, click here.  

Per Scholas Welcomes Two National Board Members

Leaders from Telecommunications and Technology Contribute to Transform America’s Tech Workforce

BRONX, N.Y. (March 28, 2024) – Today, leading national tech training nonprofit advancing economic equity Per Scholas welcomed two National Board Members. 

New National Per Scholas Board Members include:

Kristen Chard, Head of Commerce, Google. Kristen joined Google in 2007 and now serves as a Head of Commerce in Google’s Mid Market sales division, GCS. Outside of work, Kristen focuses her energy on partnering with organizations to help underserved populations.

Rick Rioboli, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Comcast Cable. Rick serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Comcast Cable. Rick is an advocate for ongoing education and career development both at Comcast and across the Philadelphia tech community

“We are honored to welcome Kristen and Rick to Per Scholas’ National Board, where their dedication, expertise, and enthusiasm will greatly contribute to our mission of unlocking potential,” stated Plinio Ayala, President & CEO of Per Scholas. “Our National Board Members exemplify our vision to further change the face of technology to achieve a strong economy for all.”

To learn more about Per Scholas’s work and our National Board, visit PerScholas.org. 

About Per Scholas

For nearly 30 years, Per Scholas has been on a mission to drive equity and opportunity in the ever-advancing technology landscape by unlocking the untapped potential of individuals, uplifting communities, and meeting the needs of employers through rigorous tech training. By teaming up with dynamic employer partners, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we’re forging inclusive tech talent pipelines, fulfilling an ever-increasing need for skilled talent. With national remote training and campuses in 20+ cities and counting, Per Scholas offers no-cost training programs in the most sought-after tech skills, spanning Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more. To date, 25,000+ individuals have been trained through Per Scholas, propelling their professional trajectories into high-growth tech careers with salaries three times higher than their pre-training earnings. At Per Scholas, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging aren’t just buzzwords—they’re in our DNA. 85+ percent of our learners are people of color, two in five are women, and more than half hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. Learn more by visiting PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

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Per Scholas Selected by Stand Together Foundation to Become Catalyst Impact Partner 

Per Scholas joins the second cohort of Catalyst Impact Partners, receiving management training, access to new customer-first impact measurement approach, and up to $300,000 in grants over the next three years.

Bronx, NY, March 25, 2024 – Per Scholas is proud to announce it has been selected to participate in Stand Together Foundation’s Catalyst Impact Grant Program, an initiative cultivating a group of the country’s most transformative nonprofits that demonstrate a better way to transform individual lives and create lasting change.

The Catalyst Impact Grant Program awards each incoming Impact Partner with Principle Based Management™ coaching and consulting, access to a new customer-first measurement approach created by Stand Together Foundation to understand and differentiate their impact, and grants up to $300,000 over three years. By 2025, Stand Together Foundation’s goal is to invest in up to 100 Catalyst partners who have successfully completed the Catalyst Program, committing up to $30 million to accelerate nonprofit impact and transform how society thinks about addressing poverty and social barriers.

Per Scholas is one of 25 Catalysts selected to join the Catalyst Impact Grant Program’s second cohort, which officially kicked off in January 2023. Nonprofits selected have the key ingredients to break the cycle of poverty. They put people at the forefront, see the unique potential in every individual, and are changing the way the country thinks about, talks about, and tackles poverty. The grant program is designed to provide resources for increased effectiveness, including management training and customer feedback tools to help nonprofits grow, scale, and replicate their success. Click here to view a full list of the 2023 Catalyst Impact Partners.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Stand Together Foundation and the Catalyst Impact Grant Program to further empower our learners and alumni to unlock potential in their tech careers,” reflected Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala. “Stand Together Foundation’s support resonates with our mission as we continue to change the face of technology and uplift individuals and communities, meeting the needs of employers through our innovative tech training.” 

Stand Together Foundation partners with the highest impact nonprofits around the nation, all committed to empowering the individuals they serve through a principled approach. This means that instead of treating people as problems to be managed with sweeping, top-down plans, these organizations help people realize their full potential through bottom-up empowerment and solutions that help individuals transform themselves and the world around them. Today, Stand Together Foundation partners with over 300 nonprofits across all 50 states.

Per Scholas was selected through an extensive vetting process and accepted into the program after a rigorous evaluation focused on impact, customer surveying, reach, and principle alignment. Stand Together Foundation’s Catalyst Impact Partner Initiative represents an investment in the diversity of nonprofits, audiences, and solutions as the way to end poverty. 

The 25 Impact Partners have diverse program models across the nation and are uniquely suited for rapid iteration and experimentation based on data collection and customer feedback. Each of these organizations focuses on relationships with their customers and prioritizes individual transformation rather than transactional services.

“Our Catalyst partners take a unique approach to helping people overcome barriers that is anchored in a strong belief in people,” said Evan Feinberg, executive director at Stand Together Foundation. “This initiative is about deepening our partnership so that Catalysts can scale their reach, better understand their impact, and ultimately transform the way society thinks about addressing social barriers. If these organizations continue to grow in their effectiveness, and everyone in the country hears about what they are doing, we can transform the entire social sector in America.”

Catalyst Impact Partners will be encouraged and supported to:

• Model a “customer-first” impact vision. Catalyst Impact Partners will participate in Stand Together Foundation’s pioneering measurement approach to understand impact through customer feedback.

• Advance a management culture that empowers employees. Catalyst Impact Partners will focus on leveraging Principle Based Management to empower their employees to empower the people they serve.
• Build the movement toward empowerment. Identify with and advocate for a culture of openness, dignity, mutual benefit, and empowerment among philanthropists, nonprofits, and the broader social sector.

Click here to learn more about Catalyst Impact Partners.

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About Per Scholas

For nearly 30 years, Per Scholas has been on a mission to drive equity and opportunity in the ever-advancing technology landscape by unlocking the untapped potential of individuals, uplifting communities, and meeting the needs of employers through rigorous tech training. By teaming up with dynamic employer partners, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we’re forging inclusive tech talent pipelines, fulfilling an ever-increasing need for skilled talent. With national remote training and campuses in 20+ cities and counting, Per Scholas offers no-cost training programs in the most sought-after tech skills, spanning Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Software Engineering, and more. To date, 25,000+ individuals have been trained through Per Scholas, propelling their professional trajectories into high-growth tech careers with salaries three times higher than their pre-training earnings. At Per Scholas, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging aren’t just buzzwords—they’re in our DNA. 85+ percent of our learners are people of color, two in five are women, and more than half hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. Learn more by visiting PerScholas.org and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

About Stand Together Foundation

Stand Together Foundation is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty in America by driving change from within communities. We are building a community of social entrepreneurs who believe in people, work from the bottom up, and unite with anyone to do right. Since 2016, we have committed over $120 million and counting to fuel the innovation of nonprofits throughout the country to build stronger, safer communities where all people can learn, contribute, and realize their full potential. Our goal is to help nonprofit leaders maximize their impact to transform more lives out of poverty. Learn more at www.StandTogetherFoundation.org.