When first considering a career in technology, Per Scholas Graduate Olga Sannikov always felt discouraged to enter the field. She was always interested in tech but did not pursue it academically because it was not popular for girls to do so at her school. This has been a common sentiment among women wanting to pursue a career in technology, and an area where Per Scholas is actively helping change the narrative and increase access and opportunity for women technologists nationwide. 

This month, we began training for our first cohort of women learners enrolled in our inaugural Women in Software Engineering (WISE) pre-apprenticeship program. Hosted by Per Scholas National Capital Region, this course was developed with women in mind and understanding the barriers women face entering the industry. Delivered remotely and on a modified schedule to accommodate household responsibilities, learners have access to evening and weekend office hours, tutoring, mentoring, and career development programming. 

Per Scholas was selected as one of five recipients for the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant, presented by U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty J. Walsh. 

“For too long, women have faced barriers to gaining entry into apprenticeships and nontraditional careers,” Secretary Walsh said at the grant presentation. This pioneering training offering for women in tech is also made possible with additional investments from Capital One, The Boeing Company, and Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation. 

“Capital One is passionate about partnering with organizations that are meeting critical workforce development needs,” said Kerone Vatel, Head of Community Impact and Investment at Capital One. “Per Scholas is closing gaps in equity and opportunity by providing education onramps and support for underrepresented groups, including women, to pursue careers in technology.”

“We have the opportunity to learn so much from our WISE learners,” said Diane Duff, Per Scholas National Capital Region Managing Director. “We’ve received generous support to adjust our already proven model to more effectively address the unique challenges facing women who want to enter the tech industry. I’m thrilled that our first training cohort is underway.” 

On International Women’s Day, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners committed to developing the county workforce to meet a growing demand for technology jobs by voting unanimously to approve a more than $4.5 million COVID-19 recovery grant to support the new Tech Women of Color workforce training initiative at our Per Scholas Columbus campus. Additional local supporters of Tech Women of Color include The Columbus Foundation, AT&T, KeyBank, and Bank of America. 

“We are grateful to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners for providing us the opportunity to be of service to our community, and to our local partners who will come alongside us as we seek to make a transformative impact in this county,” stated Jenn Fowler Howard, Senior Director of the Tech Women of Color Alliance. “We recognize that this project will not only change the lives of the women who participate but will also build stronger families, communities, and businesses for years to come.” 

The first Tech Women of Color cohort will be an IT Fundamentals course and begin this summer. If you’re a Columbus-based business or employer interested in learning more and joining the Tech Women of Color Alliance, led by Per Scholas, please contact Jenn Fowler Howard at [email protected]. 

We had four women leaders in tech from one of our funders, Capgemini, speak on a panel for Women’s History Month as well. More than 60 women participated, and heard from powerful women leaders on topics including the importance of women in tech leadership roles, working through imposter syndrome, and owning the unique skills that women often possess – empathy, kindness, compassion, and more. We also moderated a quick Q+A session at the end of the event where individuals discussed everything from how to find what you want to specialize in tech-wise to how to balance your life as a wife, mom, and professional. 

Per Scholas is grateful to the many funders and supporters who are making intentional investments in women-centric initiatives, including the AT&T; Atalanta Project – Black Family Philanthropies; Bank of America; Boeing; Boone Family Foundation; Capital One; The Columbus Foundation; Franklin County Board of Commissioners; Goldman Sachs; Kate Spade New York Foundation; KeyBank; The Same Sky Foundation Fund, a Division of the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation; S&P Global; TEKsystems; The Women’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor; and more.

Per Scholas’ collaboration with AWS and our ability to offer AWS re/Start, a high-quality cloud computing curriculum, is incredibly powerful. Cloud computing continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of tech, and we’re proud of the role we’re playing to train diverse technologists in this in-demand skill set.

We started our cloud computing training by offering AWS re/Start at our Greater Boston campus in 2020. The pandemic forced us to quickly pivot what would’ve been an in-person course to be remote instead. AWS’s leadership and guidance as we modified the curriculum were essential. This shift to remote learning had a silver lining and enabled us to enroll learners in our inaugural cohort from our National Capital Region campus, too. 

Today, just two years later, Per Scholas is offering AWS re/Start training at 9 campuses nationwide, including at Per Scholas Dallas, Per Scholas Greater Boston, Per Scholas National Capital Region, and Per Scholas New York. We’re working to prepare nearly 400 future technologists in this in-demand skill set in 2022 alone! 

Earlier this month, Per Scholas Senior Vice President of Training Quality, Technology, and Innovation Eduardo Hernandez spoke at AWS IMAGINE: NONPROFIT alongside AWS re/Start Program Manager Seghen Simon about our training model. 

During the panel, Eduardo highlighted that since we began offering AWS re/Start, nearly 300 cloud computing technologists have graduated, and more than 90 percent earned the prestigious, highly-sought-after AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification. Half have attained jobs, and a third in specific cloud-computing roles at more than 55 companies nationwide.

Alongside 16 other organizations, Per Scholas Baltimore recently received a groundbreaking grant from the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (OED) as part of the Train Up initiative. The initiative provides free job training for unemployed and underemployed Baltimore City residents impacted by COVID-19 and is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). It is 

Per Scholas Baltimore will enroll 45 Baltimore City residents participants annually in our cost-free tech training, ensure that at least 75 percent of our learners will complete training, and connect at least 80 percent of our graduates into family-sustaining careers paying a minimum of $15 per hour. All participants completing training will obtain at least one industry-recognized credential. 

In regard to Train Up, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott stated, “I look forward to working closely with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development as we increase access to opportunity, promote local job growth, support low-income households, benefit historically underinvested neighborhoods and create wealth in Black and Brown communities.”

As Per Scholas Baltimore prepares Baltimore City residents for careers in technology, a high-growth industry, we will also provide our learners with career coaching and business and professional development. Upcoming courses offered at our campus in Little Italy can be found here.  

“We are grateful for the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development’s investment in Per Scholas Baltimore, which will enable us to continue to serve Baltimore City residents with no-cost technical training,” stated Per Scholas Baltimore Managing Director Jessica Diaz Council. “We are actively trying to change the face of the tech workforce nationally, but also locally. If you are a company that serves the people of Baltimore, then you should be employing local talent. We’re committed to increasing access and creating opportunities for individuals who aspire to work in tech because we truly believe that the right career changes everything. The Train Up program will allow us to do just that.”

To learn more about the Train Up program from the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, click here. 

As it has been reported that there are more than 48,000 vacant tech jobs in North Carolina, Per Scholas North Carolina has partnered with NC Tech Paths and Wilkes Community College for one of the largest rural tech training initiatives in the country. This initiative is geared towards bringing tech training to the state’s rural communities in order to both increase the state’s tech talent pool and bring new tech jobs to rural areas.

With training first in Software Engineering and eventually IT Support, Per Scholas is set to train more than 2,500 learners over the next three years. The inaugural training in partnership with Wilkes Community College and NC Tech Paths will graduate in mid-May.

Read the full article on Per Scholas North Carolina’s partnership here. 

Per Scholas Newark Set to Train More than 200 Technologists in 2022

Jessica Zorola Joins Tech Training Nonprofit as Managing Director

NEWARK, N.J. (March 16, 2022) — Per Scholas Newark recently welcomed Jessica Zorola as Managing Director, leading the national nonprofit’s technology training efforts in Newark, New Jersey. Per Scholas Newark is set to train more than 200 technologists in the year ahead in skills ranging from IT Support, Software Engineering, AWS re/Start, and Cybersecurity. 

“I believe in Per Scholas’s powerful vision that a thriving workforce starts with an equitable access to education. Per Scholas is an anchor institution within the community, poised to close the digital divide in Newark,” said Jessica Zorola, Per Scholas Newark Managing Director. “Our graduates demonstrate that having access to in-demand tech and professional skills training creates a thriving, diverse tech workforce for the Newark business economy.”

In mid-February, 15 learners successfully graduated from an IT Support cohort, earning industry credentials including the CompTIA A+ certification and Google IT Support Professional Certificate. and increasing their knowledge and skills to fill a wide range of entry-level technology jobs. Aligned with Per Scholas’s commitment to advance equity and increase opportunity in technology, 100 percent of this cohort are people of color and nearly 50 percent identify as women.  

“I’m so grateful to be able to embark on this exciting new career path,” reflected graduate Angelique Adolph. “Armed with solid tech training and industry-recognized certifications, I look forward to securing a job as an IT Support professional and to continuing my education toward becoming a Cybersecurity Analyst.” Angelique experienced a pandemic-related job loss in July 2021 and soon after applied to tech training offered by Per Scholas. 

One of Per Scholas Newark’s newest partners and key supporters of this specific IT Support cohort is The Arman Roy Foundation, a local organization committed to bridging the digital divide for the last three years in honor of Arman Roy, a compassionate young man with a gift for technology. Founder and Chairperson Manisha Roy served as the keynote speaker at graduation, commending learners for making an investment in their own education, the hard work, and sacrifice required to achieve this milestone, and for being able to write their own unique chapter on success. 

“Our partnership with Per Scholas has been a natural and seamless one because both of our organizations are committed to improving equity through access to technology training and job placement so that all motivated students who work hard to achieve their goals can look forward to a bright future, regardless of where they have come from,” said Minal Mosca, Arman Roy Foundation Board Member, and Arman’s aunt. “We are excited about a strong future of collaboration with Per Scholas.” 

To learn more about Per Scholas Newark, please visit www.PerScholas.org/Newark. 

About Per Scholas: Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 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 17 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 16,000 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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Franklin County Commissioners Invest $4.5 Million To Help Women of Color Join the Tech Sector

Columbus, OH – Franklin County was in the headlines last week when President Joe Biden touted local technology investments in his State of the Union speech. On Tuesday, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners committed to developing the county workforce to meet a growing demand for technology jobs, while placing equity at the forefront of their approach.

The Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a more than $4.5 million COVID-19 recovery grant to support the new Tech Women of Color workforce training initiative. This innovative partnership between the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services and the nationally recognized tech training nonprofit Per Scholas will help train and place 200 low-income women of color on the path to self-sufficiency through good-paying jobs.

“When I was 23 coming out of the military with two young daughters, I had an IT background and credentials from the Navy, but I still couldn’t find a job. I was one of those women who just needed a chance,” Commissioner Erica C. Crawley said. “What we’re doing here isn’t a handout. It’s about helping people who are willing and ready to work. They just need a chance.”

While the economy has rebounded over the past year, job growth especially among women of color, has not kept pace with the overall rate. In January, the nationwide unemployment rates for Black women (5.8 percent) and LatinX women (4.9 percent) were higher than the overall unemployment rate for women. Employment disparities in the technology field predate the pandemic but are even more stark today. Nationwide, Black women only make up 3 percent of the technology workforce while LatinX women account for only 1 percent.

“This was never just going to be about meeting workforce demands. It’s about equitable access, equitable growth and equitable opportunity,” Commissioner John O’Grady said. “If Ohio’s going to become the ‘Silicon Heartland,’ we’re going to do it by giving people who’ve been overlooked and underrepresented in tech the fair shot they deserve.”

The Tech Women of Color initiative is a 15-week program that will offer technical skills training, executive mentoring, financial coaching, and more. Participants will receive paid internships and graduate with industry-recognized credentials – ready to compete for high-paying, in-demand technology jobs.

“The best social service is a good-paying job, but a job alone isn’t going to move you up the economic ladder if the ground beneath can’t support it,” Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce said.  “We’re providing ongoing support so women can finish the program on stable ground and ready to begin that climb.”

In addition to employment placement and retention services, graduates will receive ongoing supportive services to help navigate the “benefits cliff,” which occurs when a small increase in earnings leads to loss of public assistance benefits like food assistance or Publicly Funded Child Care.

“We can’t ask a mom to embark on new career path and then say, ‘but by the way, you won’t be able to drop your baby off at child care.’ This program can’t work if that’s a choice she has to make,” Deputy County Administrator Joy Bivens said. “We’re facing the reality of the benefits cliff and saying, ‘we’re going to walk this path with you and make sure you have the tools to succeed.’”

The initiative is funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars and will run for two years, through August of 2024.

“Since launching our evidence-based technology training here in Columbus 10 years ago, Per Scholas Columbus has trained and prepared more than 800 learners for in-demand technology jobs across our region. Increasing equity and closing the opportunity gap is core to our work, and I’m looking forward to affecting change right here in Franklin County,” said Noah Mitchell, Managing Director of Per Scholas Columbus. “We are incredibly grateful to the Franklin County Board of Commissioners for this transformational investment and are looking forward to teaming up with the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services to bring this intentional Tech Women of Color training to life.”

Women who are interested in learning more can visit www.PerScholas.org/Columbus.

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The Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services provides timely public assistance benefits and builds community partnership through inclusion, responsiveness and innovation. Learn more at https://jfs.franklincountyohio.gov and follow FCDJFS on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 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 17 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 16,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org.

In this brief from MDRC, a company committed to finding solutions to some of the most difficult problems facing the nation, it is shown that investigating lived experiences for data is crucial for Per Scholas’s admissions process.

As the brief states, “People with lived expertise can include individuals or families enrolled in or eligible for a program of interest, service practitioners who work directly with these individuals and families, and community leaders. Such people have a wealth of knowledge about the social issues and programs that are studied, derived from their own experiences.”

Learn how Per Scholas has worked closely with MDRC research to provide a better admissions process experience to drive more completed applications in this brief and read the full document.

Per Scholas was identified as a workforce training program that delivers in New York by Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States.  Following research done by MDRC over seven years, Arnold Ventures noted that Per Scholas continues to show that those who were participating substantially out-earned their peers who were not – by 14 to 20% over the course of the study.

Amanda Moderson-Kox, Director of Evidence-Based Policy at Arnold Ventures, said, “Americans in every state deserve access to a proven-effective program like Per Scholas, which delivers results and enables workers to access jobs with a path to the middle class.”

Per Scholas New York Managing Director Abe Mendez noted that such success can be scaled throughout the country as well, saying, “We have the model here in place. It works. We know it can scale.” It is with such results as shown in MDRC’s research that Per Scholas has been able to expand to 17 locations through 2021, with plans to add three more in 2022.

As a workforce training program that delivers results and connects our learners to thriving careers in the tech industry, Per Scholas is able to prepare our graduates for great opportunities.

Read the full article featuring Per Scholas here.

In a recent interview with Hired, Per Scholas Executive Vice President of Social Ventures Damien Howard discussed Per Scholas and our partnership with Hired.  In the Q&A-styled conversation, Damien discussed how this partnership allows our graduates to set up a profile with Hired and help in their career search. “Once a class of Per Scholas graduates is ready to become job seekers, they are referred to Hired to set up a free profile and display their new, marketable, in-demand skills through Hired assessments or connecting social accounts to shine a light on their new skills.”

Such a partnership with Hired, the largest AI-driven marketplace matching ambitious tech and sales talent with the world’s most innovative companies, will connect many of our graduates with companies that could lead to a tech job to launch their IT careers.

Read the full interview and feature here.

Per Scholas Welcomes New Regional Advisory Board Members

Leaders from Technology, Professional Services, E-Commerce, 

Contribute to Transform America’s Tech Workforce

BRONX, N.Y. (February 23, 2021) – Today, leading national tech training nonprofit advancing economic equity Per Scholas welcomed nine new Advisory Board Members in three cities across the U.S. New Advisory Board Members include:

Atlanta, Georgia

• Winford Williams, AVP Technology, Insurance, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

“I’m delighted to welcome Winford to our Per Scholas Atlanta Advisory Board. He joins a passionate and committed group of leaders working diligently to increase opportunity for future technologists right here at home,” said Sherri Sims, Per Scholas Atlanta Managing Director. 

National Capital Region

• Abenaa Addei, Account Director, Google
• Keith Barclay, Worldwide IGF Ecosystems Operation Leader, IBM
• Marialina Bello, Managing Architect, Microsoft
• Felicia Jones, Program Director, designDATA
• Heidi Richards, Managing Director, EY

Per Scholas National Capital Region Managing Director Diane Duff reflected, “Greater Washington, which stretches across Washington, D.C. and outward to suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia – continues to be recognized as one of the most prominent tech hubs on the East Coast, and it’s still growing. I’m very grateful to Abenaa, Keith, Lina, Felicia, and Heidi for contributing their time and talent to support Per Scholas’s mission to increase access and opportunity for technologists across our region.” 

New York, New York

• Erez Barkai, Director of Engineering, Wayfair
• George Okrah, Senior Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Lazard
• Silva Stewart, Digital Strategy Consultant, Accenture

“Our New York Advisory Board Members play a crucial role in supporting our strategy and growth in New York City,” said Abe Mendez, Per Scholas New York Managing Director. “I’m excited to welcome Erez, George, and Silva to the Per Scholas’s New York Advisory Board and thank them for their commitment to strengthen and diversify the tech sector.” 

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

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 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 17 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 15,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org.

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