Today, Per Scholas’ Executive Vice President of People, Montreece Smith, was featured in an article on the website of Take the Lead, a nonprofit organization that “prepares, develops, inspires, and propels women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025.”

In the article, Montreece, who began at Per Scholas as a volunteer in 2015, discusses the importance of Per Scholas’ mission to open doors to tech careers for persons of color. Despite a widespread, recent focus on DEIB in the workplace, people of color are still widely underrepresented in many STEM industries, including tech.

“According to a new report from McKinsey,” the article states, “‘Black people make up 12 percent of the U.S. workforce but only 8 percent of employees in tech jobs. That percentage is even smaller further up the corporate ladder; just 3 percent of technology executives in the C-suite are Black, according to a McKinsey analysis of Fortune 500 executives.’” This gap is expected to widen over the next decade, as is the wage gap for Black individuals in tech roles.

Per Scholas is actively working to alleviate this discrepancy by building a pipeline of diverse and talented workers, as well as fostering cultures of fairness and inclusion in workplaces. It is important, Montreece noted, for workplaces to address issues of diversity, not only in their recruitment practices, but also in the culture and climate of their workplaces. 

“There are many techniques employers need to think about to engage, retain and promote employees,” Montreece explained. “Corporations fail because they put forth effort in recruitment but do nothing about development. WOC and BIPOC are watching…[To POC]: Know your worth. Diversity does not mean less than. You are capable, you are worthy and you deserve an opportunity. ”

Read the full article here!

Recession Proofing Your Tech Talent Pipeline

As we reach the final day of the first month of 2023, there has been a lot to unpack with the state of the economy, the labor market, and the future of work. While it may seem like things aren’t looking up for America’s economy despite many recent layoffs, there are still more than 246,000 tech jobs expected to be available in 2023 and massive opportunity for return on talent  investments. 

Despite the fact that the majority of these layoffs are coming from tech companies, the need to fill tech jobs remains strong for all industries. Whether in finance, real estate, automotive, professional services, healthcare, or other industries, you will still find an abundance of tech roles available within those sectors. With thousands of technologists recently laid off, employers from different industries are eager to hire and train workers for their open IT roles.  

Layoffs are happening, but there are still jobs available. 

In recent news, Microsoft laid off 10,000 of their employees, joining Meta, Amazon, Google, Cisco, and other large tech companies announcing major layoffs, which begs the question of how companies can retain employees and maintain ROI throughout the year. However, with the tech industry, there are still hundreds of thousands of jobs available with fewer job seekers with the required experience and skills. With so many jobs anticipated in the tech industry, how can employers future-proof tech jobs? Another challenge that C-Suite decision makers are dealing with is having to be more tactical and focused around cost-effective talent acquisition strategies. 

Our best advice is to look inward at upskilling and reskilling your current workforce, and then build out a customized pipeline for new tech talent so you can narrow the scope and really dig deep with experienced talent development partners. 

Fortunately, Per Scholas is able to do both!

There are many benefits to reskilling and upskilling your current workforce. When you upskill your talent, you are investing in your team, which boosts employee morale, increases production, and is more cost-effective than laying off and hiring new talent. Through Per Scholas’s tech training courses in IT Support, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and other customized training tracks, we are providing enterprise solutions to grow and diversify your talent pool. The key is to stop buying talent and start building it. 

The need for skilled tech talent remains despite a looming recession.

In addition to employee layoffs, we’ve heard more about an impending recession. This month, two out of three economists predicted a recession this year, alarming corporations and the country as a whole. As we look to our 2023 forecasting, it isn’t all doom and gloom. How can your organization survive a recession and prosper? Diversifying your tech workforce is one important way to start. There is lots of research underscoring diverse workforce improves companies’ bottom line because of the different backgrounds, the dynamic ideas that are developed and the sheer superior talent that exist in this talent pool. It is proven that there is enormous business benefit for companies that  invest in a sustainable, diverse talent pipeline that is skilled and has hands-on training. 

As I stressed earlier, while there may be a pending recession looming and many big-hitter tech companies are laying off employees, hundreds of thousands of tech roles still remain unfilled. The key to staying ahead is filling your talent pipeline with skilled technologists with hands-on training, in-demand skills, and diverse backgrounds. 

Active DEI Programs future-proof the culture and productivity of companies.

When it comes to future-proofing your company, looking inward at your active DEI initiatives can ensure your success throughout a recession. TEKsystems’ recent DEI research showed that 86% of IT decision makers believe DEI programs have made their culture more inclusive, which aids business’s overall ROI and morale. Simply put, employees with a good outlook on the company they work for will do better work; and if the workforce is diverse, then there will be more productivity, greater ROI, and greater span of ideas for growth and development.

Additionally, 74% of IT decision makers agreed that DEI has increased their team’s productivity. The catch is putting ideas and programs into action in order to future-proof your business. Creating systemic changes throughout your organization will ensure happy, productive, and diverse team members that will help your overall bottom line. 

The future of the economy may be unknown or headed toward a recession, but that does not mean a downfall for your company. Now is the time to stop buying talent and start building it. Let Per Scholas help you focus on the development and upskilling of your current team so you can build the talent you need to succeed and put action into DEI programs to support your company’s bottom line and return on investment.

Our 2022 annual fundraising campaign, Unlocking Potential: Changing the Face of Tech has come to a close. We set a goal to raise $1 million for our Career Access Fund, which we exceeded! This fund helps cover the costs of supplies and resources for 4,500 learners in 2023. Thanks to the incredible support from our donors and the Per Scholas community, we raised $1,051,868. Our generous match fund from Raz & Hana Tirosh, Abigail & Adam Winkel, the Zgaljic Family, Liquid Technology, and an anonymous donor matched up to $1 million. We are thrilled to announce that we raised $2,051,868 in total!

Per Scholas is committed to advancing economic equity by creating opportunities for individuals who aspire to work in tech but may not have had the access to pursue their dream. With the proceeds from this campaign, we will now be able to support more learners in the coming year as they launch life-changing careers in tech, starting with more than 35 cohorts in session across the country now. To stay informed of our work and the success of our learners, make sure to sign up for our Monthly Impact Report and connect with us on LinkedIn.

In the coming year, Per Scholas aims to train 4,500 learners and alumni to have the skills and connections needed to advance their careers in tech. There is a high demand for trained individuals in tech, and with our hands-on, innovative curriculum, Per Scholas graduates will continue to create a more equitable tech workforce. 

Per Scholas is thrilled to announce that we are the recipient of a $6 million “Funding Growth Through Innovation” grant from Ascendium Education Group. The grant was awarded to support three key areas of innovation: Equity Partnerships, our Center for Instructional Excellence, and Recruiting and Admissions. The funding will aid Per Scholas in increased learner capacity to achieve our goal of diversifying the tech industry with our skilled graduates.

“I am grateful for such substantial and innovative funding from Ascendium. With the Funding Growth Through Innovation grant, Per Scholas will continue to grow and train thousands of learners in the next few years,” said Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala. “We have an innovative approach to expanding our training across the country, and that starts with our Instructional staff and holistic training. Thanks to Ascendium, I am confident in the future of our tech skills training and creating workforce equity in tech.”

With the support of the Ascendium Education Group, Per Scholas will launch satellite and in-person collaborations with local community partners, increasing reach and dramatically reducing costs. 

Per Scholas will also launch the Center for Instructional Excellence to recruit, train and upskill Per Scholas faculty. The impact of our Center for Instructional Excellence is already being realized, following the launch of our Instructor Academy, which is training the next generation of diverse Per Scholas faculty from among our own graduates and upskilling existing instructional talent. The Academy curriculum includes a 10-week practicum for teaching fellows to upskill their tech knowledge, observe current classes, and be mentored by seasoned instructors. Currently, 25 percent of the fellows from the inaugural training are offering support in current courses already teaching, well ahead of schedule. One fellow will even serve as lead instructor for a week. All of the teaching fellows will be assigned lead instructor roles after they complete the training and as teaching roles open.   

Ascendium Education Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping people reach the education and career goals that matter to them. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certificates and workforce training programs, with an emphasis on first-generation students, incarcerated adults, rural community members, students of color and veterans. Ascendium’s work identifies, validates and expands best practices to promote large-scale change at the institutional, system and state levels, with the intention of elevating opportunity for all. For more information, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.

Last week, Per Scholas announced its expansion to Indianapolis, Indiana, in collaboration with Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana! Following a few years of exponential growth, this marks Per Scholas’ 20th city nationwide. Local resident Theron Wilson has been appointed to serve as Per Scholas Indianapolis Managing Director. 

Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana is the grateful recipient of a $2.8M grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc, which supports this new collaboration. Through an innovative relationship, Per Scholas becomes a community partner with Goodwill and Per Scholas Indianapolis will operate and offer its tuition-free technical skills training from Goodwill’s headquarters at 1635 W. Michigan Street in Indianapolis. 

“I am so honored and humbled to serve as the managing director of Per Scholas Indianapolis. Our Per Scholas approach is very intentional, as we aim to bridge the gap between a constantly growing tech sector and the next generation of tech workers. I am a long-time advocate for connecting adult learners to accessible education so individuals have an equal opportunity to change their lives,” said Theron Wilson, Per Scholas Indianapolis managing director. “I’m confident that together with Goodwill, we’ll grow equity and diversity in Indianapolis’ growing tech sector.” 

In addition to the tremendous funding from Lilly Endowment, Comcast NBCUniversal and Salesforce have generously supported Per Scholas’s expansion to Indianapolis. 

“Comcast is proud to support this expansion of Per Scholas that will help more adult learners in Indianapolis gain the skills they need to access careers in the tech industry,” said Kristee Cominiello, Regional Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Heartland Region. “By 2030, an estimated nine out of 10 jobs will require digital skills but nearly one-third of U.S. workers, overwhelmingly Americans earning lower incomes, lack basic digital skills. Per Scholas, Goodwill and Comcast share a commitment to close this digital skills gap by helping more people access the training, resources and career opportunities they need to succeed in an economy that increasingly requires workers with technology skills.”

“At Salesforce, we are committed to creating pathways to economic prosperity for untapped talent. Over the past several years, we have supported Per Scholas through philanthropic investments and employee volunteering, to advance its nationwide work to open the doors to tech careers. We are thrilled to partner in Per Scholas’ ongoing expansion with the launch of the latest campus in Indianapolis,” said Erinn Corbett-Wright, Senior Manager, Workforce Development Philanthropy, Salesforce. “Per Scholas develops exceptional technology talent, and we can’t wait to meet the first Per Scholas Indianapolis graduates this summer!”

“Per Scholas Indianapolis is thrilled to team up with Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, and we are incredibly grateful to Lilly Endowment, Comcast NBCUniversal, and Salesforce, for their generous contributions as we expand in America’s heartland, training hundreds of the region’s future technologists,” added Wilson. 

The first course Per Scholas Indianapolis will offer is IT Support, with training beginning on March 13. Applications are due February 27. 

To learn more about Per Scholas Indianapolis, please click here. 

This week, Per Scholas’ Chief Training Officer, Jasmine Miller, published a piece in the Federal News Network in which she discussed the challenges the U.S. federal government is currently facing in terms of recruiting and maintaining a diverse and qualified IT workforce.

Studies and surveys have revealed that a significant portion of chief information officers from federal agencies and contractors believe that “a deepening IT skills gap [has] had a significant impact on their agency’s ability to deliver services effectively.” Furthermore, a serious lack of diversity in the tech workforce, despite recent efforts, threatens to pull talented workers away from tech-related fields. 

In order to alleviate these issues, Jasmine argues, emphasis should be placed on upskilling and skills development opportunities, as well as a commitment to closing the gender and racial gap in tech hiring. Hiring practices should also be adjusted in order to make federal tech roles more accessible to qualified candidates who may have gained their credentials through methods alternative to the typical four-year degree. “Current hiring practices create barriers for candidates to apply for IT positions in government,” Jasmine notes, “and federal guidelines around degrees and experience often narrow the pool of job candidates.”

Read Jasmine’s full story here!

$2.8M Lilly Endowment Inc Grant Supports Goodwill’s Collaboration with Per Scholas

Grant funds will support the Digital Skills Initiative

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (January 23, 2023) — Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana announced today that it is the grateful recipient of a generous $2.8M grant from Lilly Endowment Inc, which will support Goodwill’s collaboration with Per Scholas, a national organization that advances economic mobility by connecting graduates to high-growth careers in technology. Together with Per Scholas, the partnership will bring training and employment opportunities to hundreds of Indianapolis residents in an effort to increase the equity and diversity within Indianapolis’ technology sector.

“These funds from Lilly Endowment will help support the ambitious goals of this partnership, and we’re thankful to have their support in bringing technology training and employment opportunities to our community,” said Kent A. Kramer, president and CEO of Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. “We hope our work will inspire additional partnerships that connect individuals with equitable opportunities to access the education and training needed to secure in-demand career opportunities, like those available in the technology sector.”

Through an innovative relationship, Per Scholas will become a community partner with Goodwill and the Per Scholas Indianapolis office will operate and offer its tuition-free technical training from Goodwill’s headquarters at 1635 W. Michigan St. in Indianapolis. Local resident Theron Wilson has been appointed to serve as Per Scholas Indianapolis Managing Director.

“I am so honored and humbled to serve as the managing director of Per Scholas Indianapolis. Our Per Scholas approach is very intentional, as we aim to bridge the gap between a constantly growing tech sector and the next generation of tech workers. I am a long-time advocate for connecting adult learners to accessible education so individuals have an equal opportunity to change their lives,” said Theron Wilson, Per Scholas Indianapolis managing director. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to team up with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, to help improve access and opportunity, and I know we’ll accomplish great things together.”

Per Scholas has advanced economic equity for more than 25 years by offering evidence-based, tuition-free technology training and connecting Per Scholas graduates to high-growth careers in technology. Aligned with its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, 85 percent of Per Scholas learners are people of color, and more than a third identify as women. Graduates are hired into tech roles by more than 850 employer partners nationwide, ranging from Fortune 500 to innovative startups.

“We are so grateful to Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana for the warm welcome to Indianapolis, as well as the incredible support of both Lilly Endowment and Salesforce,” said Plinio Ayala, president and CEO of Per Scholas. “Indianapolis is a growing tech hub in America’s heartland, and we’re looking forward to bringing our best-in-class technology skills training to the city. With Theron at the helm and together with Goodwill, I’m confident we’ll grow equity and diversity in Indianapolis’ tech sector.”

The five-year grant will support Per Scholas’ expansion to Indianapolis, the national tech training nonprofit’s 20th city. 

“We have seen first-hand the positive multi-generational impact of increasing access to education and employment opportunities in our communities,” said Betsy Delgado, senior vice president of education and mission initiatives at Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana. “Partnering with Per Scholas Indianapolis aligns perfectly with Goodwill’s mission and we are excited to be able to offer these opportunities to our community.”

The first course Per Scholas Indianapolis will offer is IT Support beginning in March 2023. Applications are due February 27, 2023.

To learn more about Per Scholas Indianapolis, click here. To learn more about Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, please visit goodwillindy.org.

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About Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana

Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana changes lives every day by empowering people to increase their independence and reach their potential through education, health and employment. Goodwill serves 39 Indiana counties and operates more than 70 retail locations, as well as charter schools for adults and youth, a maternal-child health program, a child care center and more.

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 17,000 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 focused on driving positive social change, and over the last 20 years, has worked closely with partners like JPMorgan Chase to move this mission forward. Thanks directly to philanthropic investments from JPMorgan Chase, Per Scholas has been able to accomplish many huge achievements. For example, the philanthropic support was integral to expanding our first campuses beyond New York, to Cincinnati and Columbus, which helped set the stage for scaling our training to the 19 campuses we have in cities across the U.S. It also helped launch our Dallas campus in 2015 and catalyzed investment in Per Scholas’ earned revenue model for customized training, which has allowed us to continue our growth. 

Our partnership with JPMorgan Chase has also allowed us to foster a national dialogue about equity and inclusion through the support of Diverse by Design, create a national strategy focusing on IT career pathways for young adults, and create a powerful network of alumni at JPMorgan Chase by hiring more than a dozen Per Scholas graduates.

One Per Scholas graduate who now works at JPMorgan Chase is Selasi Fiadzigbe, who graduated from Per Scholas New York’s Cybersecurity course in 2020. Prior to Per Scholas, Selasi had earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from John Jay College, but he soon realized that he was not happy with his career path and started considering other options. 

Selasi had always been interested in computers – he had built, fixed, and used them all his life. He was intrigued by Cybersecurity and started looking for ways to break into the field, ultimately applying to Per Scholas’ Cybersecurity course.

Selasi found his time at Per Scholas to be difficult but rewarding. There was a lot of information to digest, and each day brought something new to learn. Selasi loved his instructor, who was himself a Per Scholas alumni, and understood what his students were going through as they sought to change their lives through the program. Selasi’s instructor helped and supported him throughout the course and as he launched his career after graduation. The two have stayed in touch to this day.

Selasi worked as a Cyber Security Analyst at Ankura for two years and recently transitioned to a new role at JPMorgan Chase as an Attack Analyst. He loves his current job because it provides him with many resources and opportunities for growth and more learning. “The team is so big,” Selasi said of his new role at JPMorgan Chase. “There are so many smart people around you to learn from. There are so many learning and training opportunities that the team finds time for you to work through, and there is so much opportunity for growth or to pivot to other roles. The resources that are available to you are great. For someone who is still learning and is hungry for knowledge, it is a perfect place to be.”

Per Scholas Detroit Senior Managing Director Dr. JR Sledge highlights Per Scholas’ mission and work in Detroit to diversify the tech workforce. With our training, learners can connect with leading employers and launch their careers in tech. 

Dr. Sledge discussed creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the interview and the different courses available in Detroit.

“IT is for everyone,” reflected Dr. Sledge. “There is a personal and organizational commitmment to shift that trajectory that we traditionally see in IT spaces and make individuals understand that representation matters independent of the color of your skin, gender, or zip code.”

Watch the full interview here!

This year marks ten years of partnership between Per Scholas and Founder’s Circle partner Google! Since 2012, this partnership has been instrumental in supporting our learners as they acquire the skills and industry credentials to launch thriving careers in technology. The partnership has also supported Per Scholas’ growth and nationwide reach in many ways.

Our work with Google has enabled Per Scholas to foster a national dialogue about increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech workforce through the support of our Diverse by Design conversation series. Google has also provided support to our marketing and recruiting efforts both through financial support from Google Nonprofit & AdWords, as well as pro bono expertise from Googlers.

Maria Medrano, Google’s Senior Director of Diversity Partnerships & External Engagement, has been an integral part of our partnership with Google, sitting on Diverse by Design’s Advisory Board and providing insight into our diversity initiatives. With support from Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, we’ve been able to engage over 1,800 learners to date to earn their IT Support Professional Certificate from Google, and Per Scholas alumni from across the country have enrolled in other Google Career Certificate programs, including Data Analytics, IT Automation with Python,  Project Management, User Experience Design, and which offers mentorship and professional networking opportunities with Google employees.Eleven Per Scholas alumni now work at Google, putting the skills they learned in our courses to good work as they launch their tech careers.

One Per Scholas alumni who works at Google is Stefany Santos, who was let go from her Customer Service job with Delta Airlines during the Covid pandemic. Instead of viewing it as a setback, Stefany viewed this change as an opportunity to take on a challenge and start a new career. Stefany researched New York City-based tech training programs before deciding that Per Scholas was the best fit for her.

She applied and was accepted into Per Scholas New York’s Network Support course. The  course was not easy, meeting five days a week with additional homework to complete afterward, but Stefany’s hard work and perseverance saw her through. During the course, Stefany earned her CompTIA A+ Certification and Google IT Support Professional Certificate, which she credits for preparing her for where she is now. 

Shortly after graduating from Per Scholas, Stefany was selected for a one-year IT Apprenticeship at Google. After completing the apprenticeship, Stefany was hired full-time as a Corporate Operations Engineer at Google, where she works to this day. She has since earned her CompTIA Network+ certification and plans to keep learning and developing in her technology career.