Per Scholas and Salesforce have partnered together for more than a decade to expand access and opportunity for thousands of Americans to launch careers in the technology sector.

Since the launch of our partnership in 2014, Salesforce has supported Per Scholas by amplifying our mission through speaking engagements, encouraging employee volunteerism, offering pro bono engagements, hiring Per Scholas technologists, and awarding grants to further our impact. As a result, Per Scholas has grown from training approximately 650 learners across 5 cities to training 7,500 learners and alumni annually across 25 markets today. 

Salesforce’s support has been instrumental in several key initiatives, including:

• Developing ResumeBoost, a new tool that uses AI to help learners create technical resumes, powered by Agentforce — the agentic layer of the Salesforce Platform
• Scaling Software Engineering cohorts to enroll more aspiring engineers;
• Pivoting program delivery to remote instruction during the pandemic;
• Launching Per Scholas Boston; and
• Establishing Codebridge training in Atlanta.

Most recently, Salesforce’s partnership has enabled Per Scholas to incorporate AI skills training into all immersive and instructor-led upskilling courses. These enhancements will ensure that learners and alumni gain the cutting-edge skills to launch and advance in technology careers and continue Salesforce’s legacy of forging innovative and meaningful partnerships.

Per Scholas is deeply grateful for our enduring partnership with Salesforce. Together, we are expanding opportunities for aspiring technologists to launch careers with personal meaning, opportunities for advancement, and the wages needed to invest in their futures. We look forward to continuing this journey, driving meaningful change, and empowering the next generation of tech professionals.

Per Scholas is thrilled to be featured in The New York Times, celebrating our continued impact fostering economic mobility, preparing skilled individuals across the country for thriving tech careers. The New York Times Communities Fund supports local, national and global nonprofits that help people improve their circumstances and lead more enriching lives through the power of education, and as one of this year’s recipients, we’re honored to uplift our shared mission of the power of education.

For 30 years, Per Scholas has offered no-cost, comprehensive tech training that has transformed lives and careers across the nation. Founded in the South Bronx in 1995, Per Scholas has expanded to 25 cities, with remote and satellite options, and trained more than 30,000 technologists. Our organization works closely with tech employers to ensure that alumni possess in-demand skills upon graduation, and offers professional development training and job attainment support for learners, as well as continued career growth opportunities through our Career Accelerator upskilling program. 

“Receiving support from The New York Times Communities Fund for the third consecutive year is a profound honor that directly affirms the impact of our work,” said Per Scholas CEO Plinio Ayala. “This vital partnership allows us to maintain our no-cost model, ensuring that skilled technologists from communities across the country can access the tech training they need to launch life-changing careers, and our feature in The New York Times further amplifies our combined impact.”

Per Scholas’ commitment to providing high-quality training at no cost to our learners is made possible through dedicated donor support. We are especially honored to announce that 2025 marks our third consecutive year being awarded a grant from The New York Times Communities Fund! This vital and sustained partnership is a testament to our shared mission, ensuring access remains available for all our learners and alumni. We are immensely grateful to partner with and be featured in The New York Times, advancing our work to build skilled tech talent pipelines.

Read the full feature here.

We are thrilled to announce that Per Scholas was featured in a recent opinion article in The New York Times, “Sound investments in education yield big returns.”

The article highlights seven evidence-based charities partnered with The New York Times Communities Fund to invest in education across various life stages. Per Scholas was recognized for its crucial work in adult education and workforce development, and this marks our third year selected as a beneficiary.

The New York Times specifically highlighted Per Scholas’ commitment to offering robust, no-cost training programs for tech careers, including IT and cybersecurity. 

We are honored to be included among these impactful organizations working to make quality educational opportunities accessible to all.

Read the full opinion article and learn more about the campaign here!

Los Angeles, CA — We are proud to announce that Per Scholas has officially been selected for the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)’s new High Road Training Partnerships (HRTP) Fund, a grant program that provides over $17 million in funding for innovative, high-quality workforce training models that are delivered through partnerships with worker-centered organizations and employers and that result in greater equity, sustainability, and job quality.

The program addresses the technology sector’s persistent skills gap and prioritizes underrepresented learners, including opportunity youth and individuals historically excluded from high-quality tech training and employment. In partnership with Goodwill of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department, Per Scholas will deliver a comprehensive training program combining technical instruction, soft skills, and hands-on experience to prepare learners for in-demand technology careers.

Program Highlights:

• 300–500 hours of hands-on instruction covering key IT concepts and professional skills.
• Industry-recognized credentials, including CompTIA A+ and Google IT Support certifications.
• Paid, real-world experience as Digital Navigators, providing community members with digital access support while building practical technology skills.

Through this initiative, participants will gain the education, support, and connections needed to secure long-term employment while also advancing systems-level outcomes such as equitable workforce pathways and inclusive hiring practices in the tech industry. Prospective participants can learn more and apply at https://www.perscholas.org/locations/los-angeles.

“At Per Scholas, we believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Through the High Road Digital Pathways partnership, we’re changing that—connecting Angelenos from underrepresented communities to the education, tools, and experiences they need to thrive in the technology sector. This initiative isn’t just about training people for jobs; it’s about building a future where digital equity, economic mobility, and human potential move forward together.”
— Patrice Madu, Per Scholas Los Angeles Managing Director

“In 2025, searching for a job, visiting a doctor, or signing up for a bank account all require digital access and know-how. This $1 million investment is catalyzing a workforce of Digital Navigators that will support community members in overcoming the very real digital divide, which we know disproportionately impacts Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other historically disinvested households, while also advancing the Navigators’ skills and experiences for dynamic, cross-sector tech careers here in Los Angeles County. We are so excited to build on our digital equity investments at DEO and across the County through this new program and partnership.” — Kelly LoBianco, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity

Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Care First Community Investment, the twenty grantees selected for the HRTP Fund are each developing or expanding worker- and industry-informed training programs that serve Los Angeles County individuals most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and racial and economic inequities. The sectors, communities, and training models represented through this fund are diverse—ranging from construction, hospitality and tourism, and the creative sector; to communities such as justice-involved individuals and opportunity youth; and models including pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, and other high-quality training approaches.

About DEO:
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, launched in July 2022, helps job seekers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, major industries, and communities access life-changing opportunities, and is also home to the Office of Small Business, Los Angeles County’s one-stop shop dedicated to prospective entrepreneurs and small business owners. Stay connected with DEO! Follow @EconOppLA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, subscribe to our newsletter, or visit opportunity.lacounty.gov to learn about DEO services.

About Per Scholas:
As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward—aiming to train and upskill 25,000 technologists annually by 2030, expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 30,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills, generating over $2 billion in increased personal earnings. With 20+ campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.

Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

Detroit, MI — Detroit’s tech and energy landscape is accelerating fast, and a new episode of DisruptED spotlights the people and partnerships fueling that momentum. Recorded live at the Power Up Detroit conference, the episode brings together voices at the forefront of the city’s workforce transformation.

Hosted by Ron J. Stefanski, the conversation features Kenneth Leroy W., Executive Vice President at Per Scholas, and Laura Chavez, Managing Director of Per Scholas Detroit. Together, they discuss how the organization is working closely with employers, community leaders, and grassroots innovators to equip Detroiters with the skills needed in a rapidly evolving economy.

The episode highlights several key drivers shaping Detroit’s next chapter:

• A booming tech and energy sector: Detroit is emerging as a national leader in mobility, clean energy, and advanced technology, creating new opportunities for both residents and employers.

• Community-powered innovation: Movements like Black Tech Saturdays are helping to diversify the tech landscape and build pathways for underrepresented talent.

• Industry-aligned training: Per Scholas continues to expand access to in-demand tech careers, offering flexible, employer-informed programs designed to meet Detroit’s growing workforce needs.
  

As Detroit continues its resurgence, organizations like Per Scholas play a critical role in ensuring local talent is prepared to thrive in the city’s modern economy.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/eJiq3ne8

In a very short time, artificial intelligence has emerged from research labs into our everyday lives. From automating complex analytics to powering new forms of customer interaction, AI has already changed the way we do business. But the most amazing thing about this technology is that we’ve only scratched the surface of its potential.

What will truly usher in the AI era is a new class of tech talent. No matter how sophisticated the algorithms become, there will always be a need for uniquely human skills to make the most of AI. No matter how advanced, technology is simply a tool. Without human creativity, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning, it amounts to nothing more than ones and zeroes.

Per Scholas has spent the last three decades preparing the next generation of talent to unlock technology’s potential. By providing no-cost tech training to aspiring professionals from underrepresented communities, we have helped businesses navigate the industry’s biggest shifts— from IT support and cybersecurity to cloud computing and, now, AI. Here’s a look at how we’re powering the future of tech talent at this critical moment.

Adapting to AI: 30 Years of Agility

Over the past 30 years, our mission at Per Scholas has remained the same: to create equitable access to high-growth tech careers by providing rigorous, no-cost tech training. We believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Our model is designed to bridge that gap by connecting skilled tech talent from often-overlooked communities with leading employers.

To keep up with our mission over the decades, we’ve had to adapt to the rapid changes in the tech industry. We navigated the dot-com bubble, the rise of cloud computing, and the cybersecurity arms race. None of these changes was easy to manage, but successfully riding these waves only made us more agile.

Each time, we retooled and reskilled our curriculum to meet the needs of the business market. It’s this commitment to continuous evolution that has prepared us for the next great transformation —the move into the AI era.

Building AI Fluency Into Every Course

To prepare our learners for the modern workforce, AI fluency has become a core component of the Per Scholas curriculum. Every learner, regardless of their specific track, now begins their no-cost tech training with foundational instruction in generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot.

However, this new curriculum goes way beyond writing simple prompts for an AI chatbot. With modules covering essential topics such as how AI systems actually work, learners build fluency with the technology. They understand what AI can do and its current limitations. 

At Per Scholas, we place a heavy emphasis on the ethical use of AI, training our learners to recognize and mitigate potential bias. We also teach our learners how to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs rather than accepting them at face value.

Integrating AI Into Learning Tracks

The foundational AI knowledge our learners gain is then woven directly into our training tracks. This way, our emerging tech talent learns to integrate AI into real-world scenarios properly.

• Cybersecurity: Learners explore how to use AI-driven tools for advanced, real-time threat detection and response, identifying patterns that a human analyst might miss.

• Software engineering: Aspiring developers use AI assistants to write, test, and debug code more efficiently, learning how to partner with the technology to build better applications, faster.
• Data engineering: By leveraging AI, learners unlock the power of predictive analytics and gain deeper insights from complex machine learning models.

By integrating the technology across all of our courses, every Per Scholas alumnus enters the workforce job-ready and future-proof.

Launching AI-Focused Courses and Tools

Beyond making AI fluency a core competency in every Per Scholas course, we have also launched specialized tracks focused on the technology. This suite of courses is geared toward AI-centric careers, including:

• AI Prompt Engineering
• Azure AI Fundamentals
• AI Cloud Practitioner (currently in development)

Of course, we’re also using AI to support learners through our training. The custom-developed Per Scholas AI-powered tools enhance the learner’s journey by providing personalized, real-time assistance. These tools include:

• Azari AI: Our custom chatbot provides learners with real-time help with their coursework and interview practice, available around the clock.
• ResumeBoost: This innovative tool helps learners generate job-ready, professional resumes in minutes, a process that used to take hours.
• AdeptID: We leverage AI to match learners with job postings for their best-fit career paths, analyzing their skills and aptitudes to guide them toward the roles where they are most likely to thrive.

The real-world impact of these tools is undeniable. We have cut resume preparation time from 6 hours down to just 45 minutes and have reduced our learners’ time-to-job-attainment by up to 20%. More importantly, the Per Scholas suite of AI tools has dramatically increased learner confidence and readiness.

Lessons Learned: Humans + AI Outperform

One of the biggest lessons we have learned at Per Scholas over the last 30 years is that technology doesn’t replace people; it enhances them. Although AI can seem human-like, it does nothing to change this principle. Our years of experience only reinforce the fact that the true value of AI is unlocked by skilled tech talent.

We hear the same from our employer partners. Companies aren’t looking for talent that can simply operate an AI-powered tool. Instead, they need tech talent that knows how to use AI critically: those who can ask the right questions, interpret the outputs, spot the flaws, and integrate the technology into a broader business strategy.

This is why the Per Scholas model — which has always blended technical competency with essential human abilities — is more valuable than ever. Our no-cost tech training is built on these foundational skills:

• Critical thinking and a learning mindset.
• Collaboration among various tech teams.
• The adaptability to pivot as technology evolves.
• Communication and the ability to translate complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

As AI continues to advance, so will the Per Scholas curriculum, so that our alumni are always prepared for the next wave of innovation.

The Future of Tech Careers: Opportunities Ahead

One of our primary responsibilities at Per Scholas is to ensure our learners become the tech talent that our employer partners will need next. We’re constantly studying the news and industry developments to ensure the skills our learners gain are relevant to the opportunities available to them. Here’s a look at some of the trends we see now that will shape the future of tech careers:

AI-Driven Roles Are Emerging Now

The World Economic Forum predicts that AI will disrupt nine million jobs in the near future. However, the technology will also create an astounding 11 million jobs, a net positive of 2 million jobs that will need to be filled by 2030.

We are already seeing strong demand for entirely new positions, such as AI prompt engineer, AI-native developer, and AIOps specialist.

Data and Cloud Careers Are Expanding

AI runs on a steady stream of data, and data today lives in the cloud. The boom in AI has supercharged the demand for data and cloud professionals. 

In response, we’ve expanded our no-cost tech training offerings to include tracks such as Data Engineering and Power BI, as well as more foundational courses like Cloud Practitioner.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Remain Essential

As technology becomes more complex, securing its data becomes more challenging. That’s why we have transformed our courses for traditional IT roles. 

For example, learners in Data Center Technician courses now use AI for predictive maintenance to prevent outages before they happen. In addition, our future Cybersecurity Analysts leverage AI for real-time threat detection,

Tech-Adjacent Roles Are Rising, Too

The AI revolution is impacting more than the highly technical roles. We are seeing tremendous growth in tech-adjacent positions that blend business acumen with AI fluency. 

Positions in Salesforce Administration, ServiceNow, and HR Tech are booming, as these roles require professionals who understand how to use the latest technology to solve business problems.

The Future Is Human + AI Collaboration

The future of work isn’t AI versus humans: it’s humans empowered by AI. Going forward, this will be the new model of productivity, innovation, and career growth. Per Scholas is playing a big role in shaping this future. Our commitment is twofold:

1. To make AI-driven careers accessible to tech talent from every community.
2. To keep our no-cost tech training relevant by evolving our curriculum at the speed of technology.

As we head into the AI era, our mission at Per Scholas is clearer than ever. Whether you’re an aspiring learner who wants to explore our no-cost tech training courses or an employer who would like to partner with Per Scholas to hire skilled, AI-fluent tech talent, visit the Per Scholas website today.

Since launching in 2019, the Per Scholas Philadelphia campus has trained more than 745 learners, equipping them with critical tech skills such as IT Support and Cybersecurity.

Today, alongside elected officials, community and employer partners, colleagues, inaugural cohort learners, and friends, Per Scholas Philadelphia hosted its Satellite Campus Launch at OIC Philadelphia with remarks from Bret Perkins, Senior Vice President, External and Government Affairs, Comcast; Sharif Street, Pennsylvania State Senator, District 3; Rue Landau, Councilmember, City of Philadelphia, At-Large; Jeffery Young Jr., Councilmember, City of Philadelphia, 5th District and Melissa Scott, Chief Information Officer, City of Philadelphia.

“At Per Scholas, we believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. With this new satellite campus, we’re bringing access to no-cost, tech education to North Philadelphia,” stated Joshua Park, Per Scholas Philadelphia Managing Director. “By partnering with OIC Philadelphia, we’re meeting learners where they are, providing the skills, resources, and networks they need to build thriving tech careers. This partnership represents what happens when mission-driven organizations work together to open doors to opportunity and drive lasting impact for Philadelphians.”

“At OIC Philadelphia, we’ve always believed in the power of partnership to create transformative change, and our collaboration with Per Scholas perfectly embodies this principle. In the legacy of our founder, Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan, we’re committed to connecting our community members to family-sustaining careers with real growth potential. We’re thrilled to welcome Per Scholas to OIC Philadelphia this November, where together we’ll continue breaking down barriers and building pathways to economic opportunity for Philadelphia residents,” stated Sheila Ireland, President & Chief Executive Officer, OIC Philadelphia. “This partnership represents the kind of meaningful collaboration that creates lasting change, one life at a time.“

Per Scholas acknowledges Comcast for their generous contribution that made this Satellite Campus possible.

With a proven tech training model including both in-person and remote learning hubs, Per Scholas continues to unlock opportunities for individuals, strengthen communities, and drive business success across the greater Philadelphia area. Per Scholas Philadelphia is transforming lives and will continue to shape Philadelphia’s future as a thriving technology hub by equipping Per Scholas Technologists with in-demand tech skills at no cost.

To learn more about Per Scholas Philadelphia, follow them on LinkedIn or Per Scholas Philadelphia.

About Per Scholas

As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward— expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 30,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills. With 20+ campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.

Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

About OIC Philadelphia

Founded in 1964 by Reverend Dr. Leon Sullivan, OIC Philadelphia has stood at the intersection of social justice, workforce development, and economic empowerment. Our mission is to foster connections to family-sustaining jobs with clear career ladder opportunities, enabling economic mobility for underserved Philadelphia residents. Through industry-recognized vocational training, comprehensive support services, and strategic employer partnerships, we create pathways to meaningful employment that transforms not just individual lives, but entire communities.

Located at 1231 N. Broad Street in a 100,000 square foot facility, OIC Philadelphia serves as a beacon of opportunity in North Philadelphia. With over 55,000 alumni since our founding, we have demonstrated unwavering commitment to breaking cycles of poverty and creating sustainable pathways to economic stability. Our organization operates with a deep understanding that workforce development extends beyond skills training to encompass holistic support that addresses the complex barriers facing our participants.

How Per Scholas Became 70% More Efficient in Matching Talent to Opportunities with Help from AdeptID

Executive Summary

Per Scholas, a national organization providing no-cost technology training to underrepresented individuals, partnered with AdeptID to enhance job attainment support for learners. Previously, Per Scholas staff manually reviewed thousands of alumni resumes for each employer job posting for capability, a process that took nearly a week per position. By implementing AI-powered talent matching, Per Scholas reduced resume submission time to under two days, boosting efficiency and increasing staff confidence, with 90% of team members trusting the AI’s recommendations. The solution also benefited Per Scholas learners directly; 75% of learners reported better resume presentation skills, and 71% felt more confident articulating their capabilities to employers.

The Challenge: Manual Processes in a Fast-Moving Industry

Per Scholas’s Tech Talent Solutions (TTS) team works to connect newly skilled graduates with employer partners hiring for related roles. As Per Scholas expanded, a bottleneck emerged. TTS team members spent dozens of hours each week manually reviewing thousands of alumni resumes for each job opening. 

This created a significant opportunity cost, as time spent reviewing resumes kept staff from building employer relationships and supporting alumni with job readiness.

“We were doing incredible work connecting our Per Scholas technologists with opportunities, but the manual nature of our matching process was limiting our ability to scale our impact,” explains Tamara Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at Per Scholas. “In tech hiring, positions are filling more quickly than ever. Every day spent on manual resume review could mean a missed opportunity for both our alumni and employer partners. With AdeptID, we’re not only able to connect job seekers to opportunities faster than ever, but we can also identify Per Scholas alumni who are the best fit for a particular job based on the specific skill set gained from their prior years of employment, as well as their Per Scholas training.”

The Solution: AI-Powered Talent Matching

Per Scholas partnered with AdeptID to integrate their talent-matching AI into the tools used by TTS staff, allowing automatic evaluation of graduate fit for job opportunities. When TTS team members receive a new job opening, they instantly receive a ranked list of graduates who would be a fit for the role, along with insights about relevant skills and potential growth areas.

Unlike traditional keyword-matching systems, this solution analyzes each learner’s unique profile, including work history, education, and training achievements, to holistically understand a graduate’s skills and potential. This is particularly important for the adult learners that Per Scholas trains, where the average age is 33. Per Scholas learners often bring years of previous work history where skills have been developed and are transferable to the job openings received by the TTS team.

“What makes this system special is its ability to understand the full spectrum of an individual’s capabilities,” notes Dan Restuccia, Head of Product at AdeptID. “It doesn’t just look at what someone has done before, it recognizes the new skills they’ve developed through Per Scholas training and their potential to grow into a role.”

The Results: Efficiency, Confidence, and Better Outcomes

Within weeks of implementation, Per Scholas witnessed dramatic improvements:

• Matching time reduced from a week to less than two days
• 90% of staff reported trust in the AI’s ability to identify strong matches
• 75% of learners reported better resume presentation skills
• 71% of learners indicated increased confidence in articulating capabilities

The benefits extended beyond the TTS team. Per Scholas Professional Development coaches, who work directly with learners to prepare them for employment, gained valuable insights into how each individual’s skills align with market demands. 

“From a Professional Development perspective, AdeptID strengthens both the advising process and learner confidence by making career pathways visible early in training, linking skills gained to real job opportunities, and identifying growth areas in a constructive way,” says Brandy Jones, Vice President, Professional Development & Career Services. “Instead of waiting until graduation, learners see data-backed matches to real roles, which validates their progress and motivates them to stay engaged. Coaches can use these insights during resume reviews, mock interviews, and goal-setting sessions, helping learners practice for actual job openings and build confidence in their readiness. By embedding career exploration throughout training, AdeptID reduces last-minute job search pressure and empowers learners to graduate with a clear, practiced, and confident career trajectory.”

Looking Forward: Scaling Success

Per Scholas has implemented AdeptID’s matching within various learning paths across the organization, with the partnership continuing to evolve based on user feedback and emerging needs.

“This partnership exemplifies what’s possible when mission-driven organizations leverage technology to amplify their impact,” says Johnson. “We’re not just matching people to jobs more efficiently, we’re creating a more transparent, accessible pathway to economic mobility while providing our employer partners with the tech talent they need to thrive.”

As the job market grows more volatile and unpredictable, connecting the right candidates with the right employers becomes increasingly challenging. Per Scholas’ use of AI solutions to create meaningful matches for alumni and partners is demonstrating how intentional implementation of AI solutions leads to mutually beneficial outcomes for each side of the interview table.

Arizona’s booming tech sector is creating new opportunities — and Per Scholas Phoenix is helping local residents seize them. Featured by AZFamily, the nonprofit’s no-cost technology training programs are opening doors for learners like Marty Perkins, who turned to Per Scholas after facing homelessness and unemployment.

Through 16 weeks of hands-on instruction in high-demand fields like IT, cybersecurity, and data center operations, Per Scholas equips learners with industry-recognized certifications and the skills to launch sustainable tech careers. “We can be that bridge,” said Managing Director Sharise Erby. “Tech is underrepresented by women, people of color, and veterans, and we’re working to change that.”

Per Scholas Phoenix celebrated a recent class with a 100% graduation rate, each graduate earning an IT certification. For Perkins, the experience has been life-changing: “I’ve always wanted an opportunity like this my whole life… I’m proud to say I got the break I’ve been searching for.”

Learn more about volunteer opportunities, donations, and upcoming courses at PerScholas.org/Phoenix.

At Per Scholas, we believe talent is everywhere, even if opportunity is not. Our mission is to advance economic equity through rigorous technical training, professional development, and access to high-growth careers. That mission takes bold partners who believe in the transformative power of skills-first training. With that, we are proud to highlight our partnership with Cognizant.

Through a generous investment, Cognizant is directly enabling Per Scholas to scale our reach and impact, aiming to train 8,500 learners across 25 cities between June 2025 and December 2026. This partnership is the kind of strategic investment that amplifies our success model and our belief that the future isn’t waiting, and neither should talent development.

Cognizant’s investment aims to support aspiring technologists from low- to moderate-income households to pursue careers across five critical pathways: Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, Infrastructure Technology, and Software Development. Per Scholas’ training combines 80% technical instruction with 20% professional development, all reinforced by wrap-around supports such as financial coaching, one-on-one counseling, and career readiness services. The result? Learners not only gain in-demand skills, but they are holistically prepared to succeed in the workforce and thrive long-term.

This work is especially critical as the U.S. faces a projected shortfall of 10 million unfilled tech jobs by 2030. Together, we are not just removing barriers for individuals hoping to enter thriving careers; we are shaping a more sustainable tech workforce and filling a critical skills gap that could stall economic progress.

As we move forward in this partnership, we are energized by the potential to reimagine workforce development for the AI era. Per Scholas President Caitlyn Brazill shared:

“What excites me most is the opportunity to use AI not just to build better tools, but to build better lives. With Cognizant’s support, we’re ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds can harness transformative technologies and pursue meaningful careers. Together, we are amplifying the skills-first narrative and showing the world that talent truly can come from anywhere.”

This October marks the second anniversary of Cognizant’s Synapse Initiative and we’re proud to celebrate this next chapter together. This partnership exemplifies the power of aligned vision, meaningful investment, and shared purpose.