Per Scholas Greater Boston Managing Director H. Kay Howard was interviewed by the Boston chapter of GreenLight Fund, a national nonprofit that helps open opportunities for children, youth, and families experiencing poverty through community engagement and investment. 

GreenLight Fund Boston invested in Per Scholas in 2019 to provide alternative pathways to meaningful, high-paying careers. Per Scholas Greater Boston’s former Managing Director, Robin Nadeau, helped launch, grow, and develop Per Scholas Greater Boston before accepting a new role as Regional Senior Vice President. H. Kay Howard has now taken on the position of Managing Director, and we are excited for all she will bring to the organization as our Greater Boston campus continues to grow!

Read H. Kay Howard’s full interview here, in which she discusses her background, how she came to Per Scholas, the ways in which she exemplifies our organization’s values, and her plans for the campus’ future growth and development.

Last week, Per Scholas Seattle launched its very first in-person cohort! Noting the high, organic demand for web development and programming courses in the Seattle area, the campus decided to offer Software Engineering as its first in-person course. 

The course, which is still currently offered online, will prepare learners for a career in the technology industry as “an adept developer with a ready-to-present professional portfolio to share with potential employers,” and will cover areas of Web Development, App Development, and many more.

“Many of our learners have very little training in coding,” said Per Scholas Seattle’s Managing Director, Brian McRae. “Most of them know the basics such as HTML and CSS. Our curriculum will expand their knowledge of front-end frameworks and introduce them to back-end frameworks such as Mongoose, Express.js, Node.js, REACT and more. With both individual and group projects in the curriculum, our learners will build very substantial technical portfolios to demonstrate their job ready competencies to prospective employers.”  

Seattle’s first person cohort is an incredibly diverse one. Of the 17 registered learners, 29% identify as female, and 82% are people of color. Of the learners who identify as Caucasian, all are immigrants from either Russia or Ukraine, and others in the course hail from Morocco and Ethiopia. 35% of the learners possess only a high school diploma or GED, while the remaining 65% have earned more advanced degrees. The average learner age is 30.

The Seattle campus held its Kick-Off for the first in-person class at its new site on March 27th. We are so excited to see how the cohort progresses!

“I am absolutely thrilled that Per Scholas Seattle is finally at the point where we can offer our classes in-person,” McRae reflected on the campus’ opening. “This is a significant milestone for us. When we first began offering classes here in the Puget Sound area, we were limited to only remote classes mainly due to the pandemic. Now that things have begun to open back up, we can now focus on our traditional model of on-premise training, enabling our learners to experience this curriculum the way it was originally designed.  

“These 17 learners, while coming from very diverse populations, have already begun to develop cohesive, productive relationships with one another. They help each other grow and develop, and each leverages their strengths to collectively uplift each other together. It’s remarkable to see this level of camaraderie at such an early stage – so much so that I cannot wait to see the end result.”

Per Scholas was named a new regional workforce partner of Citizens as part of a massive commitment announced today in Jersey City, New Jersey. Residents and businesses in New Jersey’s Hudson and Essex Counties will benefit from broader and more equitable access to job training and development programs. The initiative is focused on enabling skills-based job training in evolving industries, bridging the digital skills gap in historically marginalized communities, and more.

The funding Per Scholas receives will help support Per Scholas’ Alumni Upskilling program, with a focus on providing continued support to alumni, helping them remain on a successful path and to further advance in their careers in the rapidly evolving tech world.

Read Citizens’ press release here. 

Per Scholas Phoenix hosted a small reception organized by U.S. House Representative Ruben Gallego to celebrate the winners and participants of the Congressional App Challenge. This event was a nationwide competition for middle and high schoolers led by the United States House of Representatives that has been held since 2016, centered around coding, program design, and computer science. 

In addition to celebrating the winners and all participants of the challenge, the event included remarks from Per Scholas Regional Senior Vice President, West, Jaclyn Boyes, Office of Rep. Ruben Gallego, community members, and challenge participants. 

“Opportunities like the 2022 Congressional App Challenge are what connects our community’s bright young minds to an increasingly digital world,” commented Jaclyn Boyes, former Managing Director of Per Scholas Phoenix. “Arizona is the 12th-highest ranking state in the entire country for our tech industry diversity. It’s so critical that we don’t lose steam behind any efforts for more STEM programs made available to students in our schools.”

Click here to read about the 2023 Congressional App Challenge winners!

Bridging The Tech Talent Gap In Upper Manhattan Per Scholas and UMEZ Launch a Tech Initiative Creating Pathways to In-Demand Skills and Thriving-Wage Careers

New York, N.Y. (March 27, 2023) – The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ) has awarded Per Scholas a $200,000 grant to launch the Technology Sector Employment Initiative in Upper Manhattan collaboratively. This initiative aims to increase economic mobility by bridging the technology skills gap for Upper Manhattan residents and strengthening the capacity of community partnerships to support the development of a local tech talent pipeline.

“With the launch of our Technology Sector Employment Initiative, we are creating an opportunity to advance tech inclusion and bridge tech talent gaps in Upper Manhattan,” said Blair M. Duncan, President & CEO of UMEZ.  “We are proud to partner with Per Scholas and our community partners to connect Upper Manhattan residents to thriving-wage careers in tech.”

Per Scholas will work with community partners through the UMEZ-sponsored Community Partner Tech Fund to identify and enroll at least 65 residents from all neighborhoods of the UMEZ catchment area, covering the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Community Districts of Upper Manhattan, this year. Interested learners can apply for any course Per Scholas New York offers at its Bronx or Brooklyn campuses and its Satellite partner locations, including the Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center at First Avenue and 93rd Streets. 2023 courses offered by Per Scholas New York include IT Support, AWS re/Start, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and Java Developer. 

“We are so proud to team up with UMEZ and incredible community partners in Upper Manhattan to continue to expand Per Scholas’ reach in our hometown,” said Debbie Roman, Per Scholas New York Managing Director. “Through our innovative Satellite Model, we were able to train New Yorkers from all 51 Districts last year, and now through this intentional partnership with UMEZ, our presence and impact will only continue to grow in Upper Manhattan.”

Interested Upper Manhattan learners can contact our collaborative network of community partners including Community Impact, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC), and Urban Upbound to begin the screening and admissions process. If you are a community partner based in Upper Manhattan and interested in participating in the Technology Sector Employment Initiative, please contact Christina Xenos, Per Scholas Director of Strategic Partnerships, at [email protected]. 

Olger Twyner, Executive Director of Community Impact at Columbia University stated, “Community Impact is excited to join this important initiative, which will allow us to partner with UMEZ and Per Scholas to provide life enhancing opportunities to our adult education program participants, as well as other community residents who are upskilling and seeking employment.  The skills and training necessary to join the technology job force are critical. The Technology Sector Employment Initiative will provide those skills and open new opportunities to those who need them most.” 

Maria Lizardo, Executive Director of NMIC shared, “All individuals deserve equitable access to education, and that’s why we are so thrilled about our upcoming collaboration with Per Scholas, made possible by UMEZ. Through this partnership, NMIC will help recruit those who aspire to work in the technology workforce who otherwise might not have had access to the skills training and employer networks required for long-term employment. We know that through this partnership, future leaders of our community will be taught the skills to build fruitful careers in tech and secure prosperous futures.”

“As a leader in the fight to lift New Yorkers out of poverty, Urban Upbound is proud to partner with Per Scholas and UMEZ in creating new paths for Upper Manhattan residents to access the technology job market, a key sector with high-earning entry level jobs. We are committed to advancing our common goal of introducing more women and people of color to tech and bridge the skills gap,” said Bishop Mitchell Taylor, CEO and Co-Founder of Urban Upbound.

To learn more about Per Scholas New York and to view upcoming tech training opportunities, visit www.PerScholas.org/NewYork. 

About Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation

UMEZ is an independent not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to sustain the economic revitalization of all communities of Upper Manhattan through job creation, corporate alliances, strategic investments, and small business assistance.

UMEZ is part of a national Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) network that promotes economic growth by financing businesses, creating jobs, and rebuilding neighborhoods.

UMEZ facilitates economic development in Central, West, and East Harlem; Washington Heights; and Inwood neighborhoods.

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 our DNA, with 85 percent of learners are people of color, two in five are women, and more than half have a high school diploma as their highest education credential. Learn more by visiting PerScholas.org and following us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

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Earlier this week, Per Scholas New York’s Bronx campus was featured in the Bronx Times. The article described how Per Scholas is addressing the digital divide in tech, and breaking down barriers to entry into the tech industry, such as gender disparities in the field and lack of accessibility. 

Per Scholas has taken great strides over the years to increase the number of women in tech. “While women make up just under 30% of the tech workforce, that gender gap is steadily closing in Per Scholas’ network where 41% of their learners were women last year,” the article stated. Per Scholas New York Managing Director, Debbie Roman, was quoted in the piece, describing the collaborative effort it takes to create a supportive environment for women in tech.

Another issue that Per Scholas is seeking to tackle is the digital divide that has disproportionately affected students of color in the Bronx, setting students in majority-Black schools up to a year behind their peers in majority-White schools. “Why is broadband sort of seen as an added luxury?” Debbie Roman said in the article. “Closing that digital divide is relevant to anyone being able to get out of poverty and be able to enter into meaningful work space.”

Read the full article here!

Olumuyiwa Kolayemi, an alumni of Per Scholas Greater Boston’s AWS re/Start course, was interviewed by Amazon Web Services about his experiences at and beyond his time at Per Scholas. The interview is featured on Amazon Web Services’ official YouTube channel.

“[The program] was a 4-month training,” Olumuyiwa recalled in the interview. “It was very intensive, but it was very encouraging. I felt very supported by the instructors and the other people in the program. 

Olumuyiwa, a native of Nigeria, graduated from Per Scholas’ AWS re/Start course in 2021, and has since returned to Per Scholas for an alumni cybersecurity upskilling course. 

Upon completing the AWS re/Start course, Olumuyiwa’s instructors helped him prepare for job interviews. He has since landed a job as a Platform Engineer at Slalom Build, where he works to this day.

Olumuyiwa is glad that he is now able to support his family, including his family members back in Nigeria. “I have been able to enjoy a lot of rapid progression in the two years since I started my tech journey,” Olumuyiwa said. “It has really changed my life.”

Watch Olumuyiwa’s interview here!

Leaders from Technology, Government, Private Equity, Nonprofit Contribute to Transform America’s Tech Workforce in the Southwest

PHOENIX (February 28, 2023) – Per Scholas Phoenix today announces the establishment of its inaugural Advisory Board. Leaders from technology, government, private equity, and the nonprofit sector will contribute their time and talent to supporting Per Scholas Phoenix and its mission to transform America’s technology workforce through rigorous tech skills training.

Inaugural Per Scholas Phoenix Advisory Board Members include:

• Anebi Agbo, Product Builder & Entrepreneur, Eikon Labs
• Rich Asay, Senior Operations Analyst, Global Services, Keyfactor
• Amber Braaten, IS Service Desk Controller, Master Electronics
• Shereka Jackson, Founder/CEO, Future Stars Inc
• Aaron Jones, Software Developer, City of Chandler
• Phillip Pipkins, Founding Partner, Prospeq, LP

“We are thrilled to have inspired leadership from our inaugural Per Scholas Phoenix Board members. Their creative vision will help us connect rigorously trained tech talent with quality job employers, changing the face of tech here in Arizona,” said Jaclyn Boyes, Per Scholas Phoenix Managing Director. 

Since opening in 2021, more than 100 learners have graduated from Per Scholas Phoenix and have gone onto employment in tech roles at a variety of companies across the city – from large financial service institutions to small startups. 

Per Scholas Phoenix is grateful for Founder’s Circle partners TEKsystems as well as generous support from Boeing, New World Foundation Quality Jobs Fund, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and Wells Fargo.

 Currently, Per Scholas Phoenix offers a variety of tech training courses including Java Developer, IT Support, and more. To learn more, please visit www.PerScholas.org/Phoenix.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for more than 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 20 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 and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Per Scholas is thrilled to share that we are a recipient of an inaugural grant from Apollo Global Management, Inc.‘s Apollo Opportunity Foundation as they work to advance their mission of expanding opportunity and supporting economic inclusion for underrepresented individuals. The grant will support the expansion of Per Scholas’ rigorous technical training and access to employer networks to close the tech skills divide, unlocking potential for 4,500 new learners and 2,500 alumni across more than 20 cities in 2023.

The grant will go beyond a financial contribution from the Apollo Opportunity Foundation. Over the next year Apollo employees will also support Per Scholas through ongoing engagement including volunteering, strategic advisory work, and providing broader exposure to the Apollo platform. 

“We are grateful for this grant from the Apollo Opportunity Foundation and the support Per Scholas will receive in addition to their generous philanthropic support,” said Per Scholas Chief Development Officer Caitlyn Brazill. “With Apollo’s engagement and investment in our mission, Per Scholas will continue unlocking potential in our learners for careers in technology through our tuition-free tech training coast to coast.”  

Read Apollo’s press release here.

Per Scholas Welcomes Two National Board Members

Bronx, N.Y. (February 23, 2023) – Per Scholas, one of the leading national organizations that focuses on advancing economic mobility in technology, today announces the appointment of two dynamic leaders to its National Board. 

New National Per Scholas Board Members include:

• Dirk Manelski, Chief Technology Officer, PIMCO

With more than 24 years of technology experience, Dirk currently serves as PIMCO’s Chief Technology Officer, responsible for overseeing technology and developing the firm’s IT strategy. 

“Having participated in the PIMCO Foundation and Per Scholas partnership over the past couple of years I have seen the incredible impact Per Scholas can have on individuals’ careers and lives,” said Dirk Manelski, Chief Technology Officer at PIMCO. “I am excited to be joining the board and looking forward to being a bigger part of the Per Scholas mission.”

• Indy Reddy, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, PGIM Investments

Indy currently serves as Chief Technology and Operations Officer for PGIM Investments, where he is responsible for all aspects of technology strategy and delivery and operations functions. More than 150 Prudential employees have participated in a variety of corporate engagement events with Per Scholas Newark including mock interviews, fireside chats, networking, and resume reviews.

“I am honored and excited to join the board of Per Scholas to help deliver on their mission to advance economic equity through rigorous training for tech careers and to connect skilled talent to leading businesses. This organization truly embodies the changing face of technology and I look forward to contributing to their growth and continued success,” said Indy Reddy.

“We are humbled to welcome two dynamic chief technology officers and know that Dirk and Indy will bring tremendous insight and knowledge to Per Scholas’ work,” said Plinio Ayala, President & CEO of Per Scholas. “Our National Board Members are tireless in their commitment and effort to advance economic opportunity and close America’s opportunity gap by unlocking potential and changing the face of tech.”

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

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for more than 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 20 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 and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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