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. 

$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. 

Per Scholas Baltimore has been named as a 2022 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders® awardee for their work in Baltimore and Greater Maryland. As a Neighborhood Builder, each organization receives a $200,000 grant over two years. In addition to the grant, Per Scholas Baltimore will receive comprehensive leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader on topics including increasing financial sustainability, human capital management, and strategic storytelling. The program also enables Per Scholas and Innovation Works, the other Neighborhood Builder honoree, to join a network of peer organizations across the U.S. Neighborhood Builders® continues to be the nation’s largest investment into nonprofit leadership development.

“Organizations like Per Scholas and Innovation Works are the backbone of our local community—they work closely with individuals, entrepreneurs and community members to understand obstacles and develop programs and services that help eliminate the barriers to economic mobility,” said Janet Currie, president, Bank of America Greater Maryland. “It’s important that we direct capital and the necessary resources and training to help position these non-profits for long-term success as they continue to make a positive impact.”

Per Scholas Baltimore provides free technology training to residents of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County and Howard County. Conveniently accessible by CityLink bus lines, the Baltimore-based organization offers cybersecurity certifications, professional certification programs for IT support, AWS Cloud certifications, TEKsystems training, and more. Through its no-cost training, graduates are able to transform their lives, gaining jobs with competitive salaries in the tech industry. In 2023, Per Scholas Baltimore will train 150 future technologists.

“Being named a Neighborhood Builder grantee is incredibly humbling and will enable Per Scholas to continue to advance economic mobility right here in Charm City,” said Per Scholas Baltimore Managing Director Jessica Diaz Council. “Our graduates go on to earn three times their pre-training wage—increasing opportunity in the city we love.”

The invitation-only program is highly competitive, and organizations are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past Neighborhood Builders honorees. 

Since 2004, through its Neighborhood Builders program, Bank of America has partnered with 31 nonprofits in Baltimore, investing $6.2 million to provide economic mobility opportunities within the Baltimore area. Through 2021, Bank of America has invested over $280 million in 50 communities through Neighborhood Builders, partnering with more than 1,400 nonprofits and helping more than 2,800 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills. Neighborhood Builders is just one example of how Bank of America deploys capital in communities, builds cross-sector partnerships, and promotes socioeconomic progress as part of its approach to responsible growth.

TEKsystems 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in IT Report Reveals Breakthroughs and Barriers

Report details discrepancy between perception and reality of the effectiveness of DEI initiatives for the IT workforce

(HANOVER, Md., December 8, 2022) – TEKsystems, a global provider of technology, business and talent solutions for more than 80% of the Fortune 500, today released its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in IT report. The report examines the perspectives of IT and HR leaders, IT employees and IT job seekers on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts and their impact in the workplace. 

“It’s encouraging to see that many organizations have implemented initiatives to foster more inclusive workplaces across the IT industry and create opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds,” said Faith Johnson, vice president of human resources at TEKsystems. “At TEKsystems, we believe workplaces should reflect the society in which they exist and operate. While we see signs of progress within the technology workforce, this report demonstrates there remains critical work to be done to enact and sustain lasting change.” 

DEI efforts have made positive impacts on organizations, but there are major diversity gaps among IT talent. TEKsystems’ report demonstrates a clear disconnect between perceptions and the reality of programs meant to cultivate a diverse, inclusive culture. While many organizations have demonstrated their commitment to DEI initiatives and seem to understand the importance, they appear to be failing to make systematic changes that garner results.  

“Our findings reveal that more needs to be done to move the needle and impact real change in the IT industry—an industry already facing a shortage of talent,” said Franklin Reed, executive director of global inclusion, diversity and equity at TEKsystems. “We believe more strategy, more intention and more mindset shifts need to occur. We’ve seen organizations enable sustainable change through strategies and networks that advance diverse, equitable and inclusive hiring and retention practices, work culture and values. We must work together to share best practices and drive actual outcomes.” 

The report revealed the good and the bad of the state of DEI in the IT workforce, notably the impacts of DEI programs and the challenges that IT leaders, employees and job seekers continue to face.

Positive Impacts of DEI Programs

• Overall, DEI programs have made company cultures more inclusive and workplaces more diverse.
• Diverse workforces improve employee retention and company performance.
• IT decision-makers typically spend over 10 hours per week implementing DEI policies.

DEI Challenges Faced in the IT Workforce

• Companies tend to have difficulty or the inability to measure impacts of DEI strategies.
• Less than half of decision-makers have advanced or mature DEI policies in place.
• Over half of women working in IT still say they still struggle to fit in.

“Tackling systematic change in the IT industry involves purposeful, innovative approaches powered by partnerships across enterprises. We believe these approaches, however, are not independent from an organization’s business goals—they align and help power business,” said Damien Howard, chief enterprise solutions officer at Per Scholas. “Studies have shown inclusive teams make better decisions, and diverse teams produce more revenue. In partnership with TEKsystems, we’re working to build talent pipelines to help accelerate business, and we’re increasing access to opportunity through rigorous technical training across the U.S., equipping thousands of diverse technologists with the in-demand skills to succeed.”

The full report, complete with additional findings, expert recommendations, and advice for creating an inclusive culture to overcome challenges, is available in an interactive, online experience on TEKsystems.com.

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Our Boldest Experiment Yet: Satellite

New York City is awash with talent, attracting droves from around the globe. Yet, access to the vast array of opportunities within the city remains uneven – and even inaccessible – to all. One of the biggest barriers that exist in the nation’s largest city is commutable distances between boroughs. Entire communities within New York City remain cut off from prosperity geographically, culturally, and economically. The recent COVID-19 pandemic, the accompanying economic downturn, and the present rebound have made stark some of the persistent inequities in the city, prompting calls for action from City Hall, the business community, and others to ensure New York’s recovery is centered on equity and economic mobility. 

In perhaps our boldest experiment yet, Per Scholas has launched our Satellite Model where we embed our programming with a partner organization’s physical location and harness that entity’s connections with the local community, complementary services, and staff to expand access to high-quality tech training and careers. This hybrid approach to training offers remote instruction from Per Scholas’s Bronx or Brooklyn campus to learners in East New York, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. I am so proud that for the first time in our organizational history, we are training in all five boroughs. 

Learners enrolled at a Satellite location experience the same programming and are held to the same high standards as those enrolled at Per Scholas. Staff from Per Scholas and Satellite organizations work collaboratively to provide professional development, learner support, exposure to the tech industry, and career planning and job search assistance. 

Partnering for Impact

Through the generous support of our Founder’s Circle partner Barclays, we’ve developed a report assessing the Satellite Model’s structure, promise, and early learnings. The Satellite Model is designed to tap into and uplift both the New Yorkers who are far too often overlooked as potential technology talent, as well as the rich but fragmented ecosystem of workforce organizations and programs operating in areas of the city that are less accessible geographically to Per Scholas’s campuses. 

Here were our key findings:

• The Satellite Model is broadening Per Scholas’s reach into new communities and addressing unmet demand for locally accessible tech training.
• Learners to date receive what appears to be an equal training experience.
• The Satellite Model incorporates an extensive scaffolding of capacity-building supports to set partner organizations – and the partnerships – up for success.
• A Satellite “ecosystem” is taking shape, linking Satellite partners to one another as well as to Per Scholas.
• Per Scholas and its Satellite partners are building a compelling story about collaborative outcomes and impacts.
• The Satellite Model holds promise for achieving greater efficiencies in staffing and costs in the long run but will necessitate Per Scholas staff to play significant roles in program implementation and administration for longer than anticipated. 

National Potential

“The Satellite Model allows for Per Scholas to meet the growing demand for tech training and will help more individuals launch upwardly mobile careers,” said Deborah Goldfarb, Global Head of Citizenship for Barclays. “Critically, Per Scholas will be able to further break down barriers and create access for learners across New York City and beyond.” 

The Satellite approach could have national implications in the future, beyond New York City. It might prove to be applicable in a market covering a large geographic area with sufficient tech employment opportunities dispersed throughout. If an appropriate community organization in a suburban or rural area can be identified to partner with the Per Scholas campus in a central business district, the Satellite Model is one promising strategy for increasing access to training for more prospective learners.