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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This month, Voyage Phoenix interviewed Jaclyn Boyes as she discussed her past experience and Per Scholas Phoenix in its inaugural year in the community.  Coming from a background in leadership and nonprofit work, Jaclyn mentioned her past experience was a great foundation for her role as Per Scholas Phoenix’s Managing Director.

“Our goal is to prepare overlooked talent – Black, Brown, and female talent in particular – who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers that serve as an on-ramp for middle-class, well-paid jobs,” Jaclyn reflected. “The types of jobs that allow people to buy homes and begin to create wealth. The types of jobs that change the trajectory of individuals and families for generations.” 

Building on this inaugural year for Per Scholas Phoenix, Jaclyn plans to diversify the tech industry with our cost-free tech training to grow with the demand for tech jobs in the Southwest community.

To read the full interview with Jaclyn Boyes, click here!

In general, setting goals is an integral part of life. Creating individual goals can help you outline a path to obtaining a long-term vision and provide motivation and guidance throughout the process. Goal-setting is one of the many exercises in which a mentor’s direction can benefit. We gathered a small list of Per Scholas’ mentors’ most essential tips to help you set and accomplish your goals. 

1. Start with small goals.

Get your foot in the door by setting and accomplishing small, achievable goals. These will help you build up the habit of setting and meeting goals without feeling too overwhelming right off the bat. Regularly achieving these small goals can help you gain the momentum, motivation, and confidence you need to make the jump to bigger, more complex goals successfully. 

2. Adopt some behavioral micro-habits.

Like small goals, micro-habits are small, simple tasks that allow you to break down the components of a more prominent goal behavior into tiny, achievable parts. Micro-habits never last longer than 3-5 minutes, but they are mighty! These habits aim to assimilate small, proactive behaviors into your daily life to the point where they become a habit, cumulatively achieving your overall goal. If, for example, your overall goal behavior is to become more organized, you can adopt some quick micro-habits as simple as making your bed in the morning, hanging your jacket up when you get home, rather than throwing it on that chair, planning out your next day the night before, etc. Setting micro-habits can grow the confidence and ability to achieve more necessary life goals and behaviors. Starting small instead of making drastic life changes feels much more achievable and can help you build the consistency that will help you achieve your overall goal behaviors.

3. Set your aim and get started! Remember that your goals may change and grow with you.

Setting goals that will tangibly impact your future can feel stressful and daunting. However, it is essential to understand that your goals will change and evolve with you. This does not mean that you failed to accomplish your original goals. Instead, it means that you learned enough in the process to grow and develop your plans. Coming up with your first set of goals doesn’t have to be an overly arduous process, but it is crucial to have a starting point to work from. Monitoring the growth of your goals over time will allow you to look back on your progress and set the launching pad that you can build from. As Kelsey Briggs, Per Scholas Chicago’s Senior Manager of Business Solutions put it: “as you learn more about yourself and your field, [your goals] may change. But, you can’t see where you’ve come from, where you’re going, or even know if you’re on the right track if you don’t set those first goals.” 

4. Set SMART Goals

The goals you set for yourself must be clear and achievable. Vague, overly-aggressive, or poorly-framed goals are a quick recipe for frustration and disappointment. “SMART goals” is a system designed to help you set the framework for success by crafting goals that are clear, trackable, and carefully planned. The components of SMART stand for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. In a nutshell, you want to ensure that your goals are realistically accomplishable, as clear and specifically-defined as possible, relevant to your overall values and interests and that your progress can be measured in some way and completed within an ideal time frame. Setting up the framework to define and achieve your goals is a foolproof first step in the process of accomplishing your goals. Plan out your goals, follow your plan, and you will set yourself up for success.

5. Be Intentional.

To achieve your goals, you have to be mindful of your actions, time, and effort. Achieving goals is a significant accomplishment, and it can be done by following the plan that has already been set. Remind yourself of the big picture, keep your goals close to you, and don’t forget to check in with yourself to make sure you are following your plan and that you are on the right track to success. It is equally crucial to be kind to yourself when you are not following your plan. Goal-achievement is not always a straight line; if you find you are slipping, remind yourself why you have chosen to follow this path and what the benefits of success will be. Everyone has off days, and it is essential not to let them overwhelm you. If achieving your goals was easy, these tips would not be necessary! Forgive yourself for slipping and identify what specifically caused you to do so. Reassess and make changes to your technique if necessary, recommit yourself to the end goal, and get back on track!

With these tips in mind, you should be ready to start setting and working towards your goals! Remember to be realistic and intentional with the goals you set and to hold yourself accountable for your progress. Everyone has to start somewhere, and even the smallest goals can be an important stepping stone to bigger things. 

New York City Employment and Training Coalition released their 2021 Impact Report showing how they are advancing talent and equity toward a thriving economy.  Per Scholas was featured to show how our Brooklyn Campus and Satellite classroom at Commonpoint Queens is creating innovative training and career advancement opportunities for New Yorkers.

Per Scholas is a member and funder of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) and Per Scholas New York Managing Director Abe Mendez is a Chair of a Board Committee on the Board of Directors.

To read the full impact report, click here.

The new collaboration will help prepare 1,500 diverse learners for high-demand tech careers

New York, N.Y. (February 10, 2022) – Today, national skills training nonprofit Per Scholas announced it will collaborate with Microsoft to expand training opportunities for diverse learners across the U.S. The organizations will provide free technology training, resources, and guidance to 1,500 individuals – in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and other cities – with the goal of helping participants fully prepare for in-demand jobs in cloud computing.

As businesses across the country look to build their digital presence and keep up with changing market needs, the demand for skilled cloud computing professionals continues to rise. New reports suggest that 90 percent of enterprises expect cloud usage to exceed prior plans due to COVID-19, with 92 percent of enterprises now utilizing a multi-cloud strategy. To keep up with these demands, Per Scholas will develop and pilot a new Microsoft Azure training curriculum that provides learners – particularly women and BIPOC individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID – with the opportunity to learn high-demand cloud skills free of charge, leveling the playing field for workers across the country.

“Per Scholas has always understood the value of training individuals for high-growth careers, and our work would not be possible without the support of incredible organizations like Microsoft,” said Caitlyn Brazill, Chief Development Officer at Per Scholas. “Through Microsoft’s skills initiative, we’ll have the opportunity to unlock even more opportunities for individuals who deserve the opportunity to move into life-changing careers, while also supporting employers who are in dire need of qualified cloud talent.”

As part of the collaboration, Per Scholas aims to achieve an 80 percent job attainment rate for its graduates, in part through access to Microsoft’s Career Connector platform, which matches employers in need of tech workers with capable graduate talent, as well as utilizing Per Scholas’s career services and hiring network. Nationally, four in five Per Scholas graduates launch their tech careers within 12 months of graduation, earning on average four times their pre-training wages.

“Per Scholas is holistic, from business development to the Learner Support Team – the team that supports your finances, job coaching, interviewing, all of it. Per Scholas is a one-stop-shop for somebody who wants to make a change,” said Tricia Erby, a 2021 Per Scholas graduate from Atlanta, who is now working as an associate customer service analyst at Sage Software.

“Per Scholas is incredibly proud to expand our work with Microsoft to develop an inclusive, resourceful, and job-ready workforce across U.S. cities, including right here in Atlanta,” said Sherri Sims, Managing Director of Per Scholas Atlanta. “We’ve already witnessed the strong impact that Per Scholas’s training program had in Seattle with our inaugural cohort this summer, and we’re looking forward to continuing this work by empowering diverse learners nationally with life-changing education that will move them into high-growth careers.”

“We need to expand career and economic advancement opportunities for those who have been systematically underserved,” said Naria Santa Lucia, Microsoft General Manager for Digital Inclusion and U.S. Community Engagement. “That’s why we’re collaborating with organizations including Per Scholas to broaden access to computer science education nationwide.”

For more information, and to learn about upcoming Per Scholas courses offered in collaboration with Microsoft, please visit www.PerScholas.org/Microsoft. 

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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.