Babatunde “Bab” Adetiba, Dallas-born first generation American, came to Per Scholas at a time when he felt the pressure of a glass ceiling closing in on his potential. 

At age 22, Bab served our country through the Marine Corps for two years as a Flight Equipment Technician where he worked the parts and equipment that make up a military plane. This experience, he says, primed him for his future, even though at the time he didn’t realize the importance of his experience. “I learned a lot about pilots and the technology that goes behind a plane. It’s a lot of technology that we don’t even realize is in existence.”

In addition to his military service, Bab had over 60 college credits under his belt and real world experience working for Microsoft. 

Despite all his experience, Bab was unsure of where to go or what to do with his skills. Without knowing exactly what to study, more school didn’t seem like the right decision. Bab couldn’t imagine taking on more debt to learn unnecessary information that he might not use in his career. “I didn’t want to incur more loans. It’s insane how much school costs these days,” he says. “Not everyone is wired for college.” 

At age 24, he was at a crossroads. Because of his prior experience, Bab started looking into information technology jobs in Dallas. But, he soon realized, getting into the tech field is not as easy as it seems — even with prior experience. Many jobs require certifications, particularly CompTIA A+. “There was a glass ceiling,” he says. “I knew the potential in the A+ certification. But I realized the time commitment for getting it and the cost associated.” He felt discouraged. Should he pay for unaffordable certification courses or try a start from scratch in a different field?

One day while on Facebook, Bab saw a friend’s post about nonprofit tech school Per Scholas which just opened up a location in Dallas. He called and spoke to Managing Director Billy Lane who told him that yes, Per Scholas offered A+ certification for free, no strings attached. Bab was sold. The next day, a Friday, he attended orientation and was in class the following Monday.

“Me finding Per Scholas was the right thing at the right time. I made the leap to dedicate my time to learning,” he recalls.

Bab excelled in the full time 8-week training at Per Scholas. Using his skills from the military, he was on time, disciplined with his assignments, and worked well with his classmates. He even lead study groups with his classmates after class. “I learned that teaching people is also a learning experience. It was a great class with good cohesion.”

On top of gaining the knowledge to become A+ certified, Bab soaked up all he could in Career Development, the portion of the course that teaches essential workplace skills. Particularly, he says, he enjoyed learning about resume building and professional dress.

During training Bab lived with his parents and worked nights and weekends at his family’s moving business to make ends meet. “It was definitely a struggle. But nothing worth having is easy,” Bab says.

And, it was all worth it. One week after graduation from Per Scholas, Bab landed a position in the IT industry. He now works as a Deployment Technician at Premier LogiTech. He connects well with his team and notes that the CEO of the company, Darryl Smith, is a marine veteran himself.

Most of all, Bab says he enjoys one thing: freedom. He explains that a career in tech not only provides monetary freedom, but the autonomy to learn and grow in an expanding field. In the future, he hopes to give other young people like himself the opportunity to get into IT.

“I love the Per Scholas model. It has changed my life.”

For past generations of Americans, the path to a viable career was clear-cut; the equation was simple: college = a good paying job. In today’s world, the straight and narrow path doesn’t exist anymore. Per Scholas graduate Tyrell Robinson has a journey that shows that even the most traditional routes to success don’t pay off like they used to. Success for Tyrell came from thinking outside of the box.

Tyrell grew up in upstate New York and had dreams to go to college to pursue a degree that would help him obtain a career in the tech world. Tyrell says he always loved tech and pursuing a career was natural for him. “I first became interested in tech when saw the movie Hackers. I’ve always been a fan of electronic devices and I love to tinker; so it was only a matter of time before I got into the tech field,” he says.

That came to fruition when he enrolled in Utica College upon graduating high school. After four years of study, he graduated Utica with a degree in Computer Science. He felt like he had made it; he was ready to jump right into the tech field, and shortly after graduating, he moved to New York City to find a job.

At first, Tyrell took IT contract positions to make ends meet. The jobs only lasted short-term and he was constantly worried about his stability. After three different contract positions, Tyrell still couldn’t find a permanent position. He was frustrated; money was tight.

“I have a degree,” he says. “I did everything right. Why can’t I find a job?”

Finally, Tyrell secured a permanent position at G2 Investment Group, a financial services firm, as Technical Admin Support. He worked there for a year and a half steadily. He felt he was finally doing what he always wanted to do.

Then he was laid off.

Times got tough after that. His job searches were fruitless and to top it off, he had bills to pay including expensive student loans from his undergraduate degree.

“The biggest struggle I had to overcome was accepting that having a college degree would not guarantee me full time employment,” Tyrell says.

During his time of unemployment, a friend recommended that he take a look at Per Scholas, a nonprofit tech school in the Bronx. He found out that because of his background, he could enroll in the Network Engineer course which provides CompTIA’s Network+ and Cisco CCNA certification through Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC).

He went for it. And, he says, it was the hardest 18 weeks of his life.

While studying full time for the rigorous 4 and a half month course, Tyrell’s unemployment ran out. This left him without any money to pay rent, his loans, or any other bills, and without any time to get a part time job. He was almost evicted and could barely pay for transportation to and from class.

“It was hard,” he says. “I am educated and qualified. I don’t want to be couch surfing.”

Despite the stress going on in his personal life, Tyrell pushed on. He got a lot of support from his Career Coach, Steve Nunez. “I was having some extreme hardships outside of the course and was ready to quit. Steve motivated me to keep pushing and keep my eye on the prize. He reminded me of where I came from prior to Per Scholas and where I said I wanted to be after.”

Tyrell also got some help from Per Scholas, free Metrocards to get to and from class.

After 18 weeks of hell, Tyrell made it. He graduated from the grueling Network Engineer course with his Net+ and CCNA certifications and hit the pavement looking for work.

A few months passed and Tyrell got a call from Steve who recommended him for a job at Bloomberg. “I was like, ‘Wow, Bloomberg?’ I wanted this job so badly. Bloomberg is one of the best in the business.”

He was super nervous for the interview. He not only wanted the job, but needed it. He stayed calm by remembering everything he learned in the Career Development portion of the Per Scholas course: how to present yourself, communicate, and interview professionally.

“If I hadn’t found Per Scholas I wouldn’t have the confidence and ability to articulate my IT skill set and educational background,” he says.

After an intense interview, he eagerly followed up a few days later. He was informed that he had in fact gotten the job.

“I was so excited and happy to be working at the Bloomberg. It was a dream come true,” Tyrell says.

Now he’s been at Bloomberg as an Information Systems Tech for about a year. And, so far so good. He loves the work culture and the opportunity that the company provides for a viable, long-term career.

“Everyone at Bloomberg is so open minded and friendly. I love my job,” he says. “My story is a true testament of how Per Scholas is changing lives.”

“I can breathe easier now knowing that I have benefits, I have a 401K, I have a salary. I can’t believe it. I get holidays off and it’s paid for. Per Scholas has opened me up to a world of possibilities.”

Meet Aaron Mingo. A local of Cincinnati, Aaron attended Ohio State University after high school. After two years, however, he couldn’t afford tuition so he had to withdraw. Soon after, Aaron took a job at a local restaurant.

Flash forward 11 years: Aaron was still working in the service industry. The job was difficult; he worked nights and weekends, and didn’t get compensated for holidays or sick time. Because of the long hours, Aaron’s personal life was struggling. He barely got to spend time with his new wife and three children; his physical health had taken a toll after a decade of lugging trays and boxes 40 hours a week. “My life was at the mercy of the restaurant,” says Aaron.

As well, his hope for a better life for his family was dwindling. In the service industry, Aaron explains, it is hard to move up the ladder. “I was at the restaurant for a decade and I was still in the same position. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t get ahead. I gave 100% every night and some nights only made $20.”

Aaron was frustrated that all his hard work should yield something more for himself and his family. “After so many years of working, I decided that every day needed to be something I enjoyed. I was not in control of my financial well-being. I needed to make a change,” he says.

Then something fateful happened. Wayne Ivy, Per Scholas Cincinnati Associate Director of Career Development, came into Aaron’s restaurant. He was dining with a friend of Aaron’s, and the three gentlemen started talking. Wayne mentioned his job with local nonprofit tech school Per Scholas. Aaron’s interest was piqued, but he didn’t think much more of it.

Aaron shares that he always had a knack for technology. In high school, he was part of a team that built one of the the first Cincinnati Bell websites in 1999. “Tech was always something that interested me. But I thought that there was only one route into the industry, and that was college,” he says.

A few weeks after his interaction with Wayne, Aaron found an ad for Per Scholas on a local job board. It was a eureka! moment for him. He applied for the training immediately and was accepted.

While excited for this fresh start, the eight weeks of immersive training was no walk in the park for Aaron. Because he had to financially support his growing family, he kept his job at the restaurant while attending Per Scholas, which means he was working 40 hours AND taking Per Scholas’ free, full time IT support course. He would attend class from 9am – 5pm then drive to work from 6pm – 10pm, and work full time on the weekends. To get in all the study time he possibly could, Aaron would listen to tapes in his car of IT guru Professor Messer while on the way to and from work and would study at night after his kids went to bed.

“Although it was hard, I was always motivated that there is something else better here.” In particular, Aaron soaked in the Career Development portion of the course, which teaches eight hours a week of essential workplace skills like communication, professionalism, office culture, and team building. “Even though I had a lot of experience in the restaurant dealing with people, I didn’t have the professional business communication skills needed to succeed in an office,” says Aaron.

The day of his graduation, Aaron was proud. He had made it through the eight grueling weeks and achieved his A+ certification. He says, though, no one was more proud than his wife. In the parking lot of graduation, she looked at him and said, “Does this mean that you’ll be home with us at night now?”

And, so it was. After graduating from Per Scholas, Aaron now enjoys a normal 9-5 schedule with no weekend hours and paid holidays. He worked for Per Scholas Partner Time Warner Cable for a time. Now he works as a IT Support Analyst in the same hospital in which his wife is a technician.

“I have a sense of pride about being an ‘IT guy,’” he says. “I stand a little taller when I tell people what I do. It shows that this person is intelligent, professional, and driven. This job has done wonders for my self-esteem.”

Today, Aaron is focused on his family and his future. He’s content being the family tech support. In five years, he hopes to get his Net+ and Security+ certification with the ultimate goal of following the Cisco security track. He shares, “Through Per Scholas, I had the chance to be the true master of my destiny. I am so thankful.”

To read more about Aaron speaking at our Toss for Techs event, click here.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Marty Rodgers of Accenture quoting Margaret Mead in his keynote address at the inaugural Beta Bash 1.0.

October 7, Per Scholas welcomed more than 100 guests — including alumni, partners, employers, and our biggest fans — to the Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring for the first ever Beta Bash 1.0.

Amid the networking and celebration, guests got a hands-on experience of the Per Scholas training by taking the Tech Challenge, a series of challenges developed from the Per Scholas curriculum and administered by the students walking guests through each challenge: Defeat the Board (how to reset a password account), Perfect Your Pitch (deliver your personal job interview pitch) and Connect the World (how to setup a network). Completing the challenge successfully was marked with a formal graduation token, a Per Scholas lapel pin which each student receives upon graduating from the Per Scholas training.

The live program was opened by graduate Chrystal Banks who captivated the audience with her through college, to motherhood, to Per Scholas, and now to a spot in the General Assembly web developer course on a full scholarship. She eloquently relayed the importance of supporting organizations like Per Scholas, saying, “Your being here is so powerful. Your being here matters. It creates opportunity. It changes lives.” You can read her full remarks here.

Chrystal was followed by keynote speaker Marty Rodgers, Managing Director of Accenture and Accenture Federal Services. He began, “Like Chrystal, it is my fondest hope that my children will grow up to change the world. If we bet on people like Bridgette Gray and we bet on organizations like Per Scholas, and we have courage to collaborate, we can change communities.” Marty inspired the crowd with his person story of his name, explaining that a name defines who and what you are. Per Scholas, he emphasized, means “through education”; and through education, we can achieve anything.

Marty was followed by Managing Director Bridgette Gray, who was glowing from the outpouring of support from the local community. In addition to thanking partners and supporters, Bridgette awarded two organizations, Dynamic Network Solutions (DNS) and MagView each as a Corporate Partner of the Year. Collectively the two firms have hired 20% of the NCR graduates. Accepting the award on behalf of DNS, Jason Coke shared with the crowd, “As a small business, it’s really hard to find talent. Per Scholas has changed the way we hire. We get high quality candidates on a consistent basis.”

Bridgette then announced the news of Per Scholas and partner Symantec launching a cybersecurity training track for veterans in the National Capital Region in the coming year. Symantec has made a substantial investment in the project as a part of its Cyber Career Connection (SC3) initiative earning them the Innovator of the Year which was accepted by Cheri McGuire of Symantec. Bridgette presented the award with, “Innovation is hard. It’s easy to avoid. It’s easy to say no. It’s hard to put skin in the game and say yes. It is a huge honor to recognize Symantec for saying yes to innovation.”

The program was closed by Per Scholas National Capital Region Advisory Board Chair Ed Glabus who rallied the crowd to get involved with Per Scholas in specific ways:

• Connect with Per Scholas on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
• Invest in our training
• Volunteer time to work with students to build their professional development
• Hire our graduates like the 50+ other companies in the NCR
• Become a thought partner and help lead Per Scholas to the next phase of growth
• Join our local advisory board to use your leadership to build the future of Per Scholas

There was undeniable enthusiasm from a strong community of champions to expand the impact of Per Scholas well into the future. We thank all of our sponsors — Symantec, Accenture, Capital One, Catholic Charities, Dynamic Network Solutions, IronBow, and MagView; our advisory board, local staff, the event team at The Event Studio, and all the people who showed up to support the work we do.

We will be posting the photos from the evening as well as the photobooth on our Facebook page by next week.

To get involved in our work, you can go to perscholas.org or contact Managing Director Bridgette Gray at [email protected].

Per Scholas National Capital Region graduate Chrystal Banks opened up the Beta Bash 1.0 with a speech about her journey into technology through Per Scholas.

See a copy of her remarks below.

GOOD EVENING!

It is such an honor to be kicking off the first-ever Beta Bash event in support of Per Scholas.

My name is Chrystal Banks and I am a Per Scholas graduate.

Can all my fellow tech nerds make some noise?!

I am incredibly passionate about technology and I don’t even know where to begin to express what Per Scholas means to me.

I grew up here in the DMV. As a kid, I was really close to my dad. Anything he was doing, I wanted to do. He was always fixing every electronic device that existed. Computer systems, gaming systems, sound systems, you name it. We weren’t rich but somehow managed to always have the latest technology!

It was the 90s. New technology was hot.

My first computer had a Windows ‘95 OS and I will never forget it.

This is how I first started to learn technology. I would hook things up with my dad. Everything he did I was right there with him.

He would be really proud of me.

When I went to college, it wasn’t obvious for me to study technology. I was 18, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life yet. So I studied sociology because it interested me, but I had no idea what I was going to do with a degree in Sociology.

After my freshman year on campus I hit a few rough patches and had to take some time off.

I’d work retail, places like Starbucks, H&M. … Jobs just to fulfill my immediate needs.

But I knew I could do better for myself. This was a very discouraging time for me and I know some of you can relate.

After some years off, I went back to school focused and ready to plan for the rest of my life. I was a junior college … when I had my beautiful son Eli.

Being a new mother, full-time student, and working to pay the bills became too much. I once again had to stop my classes.

During this time I shared a small apartment with my mother, three siblings, and my son. My room was a very tiny den.

It was a really rough time. And I had no idea how to get past it. Lost and depressed doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt.

I was attending an information session for jobs with the Census Bureau when someone came in to talk about a different opportunity.

A training that would teach me technology skills, provide me IT certifications, and help me launch a career in tech —- And it was FREE.

I think I might have asked the guy a hundred questions.

The program was Per Scholas. I will never forget this day.

You ask the world to give you signs … and this was my sign.

My dad passed away a few years before —- and I just knew … I just felt this had to be his sign. And I knew that this was my opportunity. Nothing was going to stop me.

I’ve never been so motivated, I applied the same day!

The day I got accepted to Per Scholas was one of the best days of my life. The life I wanted to create for myself and my son.

I am sure you can hear the passion in my voice and that passion was met by everyone at Per Scholas. My fellow classmates. My instructor. The entire staff.

Everyone was there learning from the beginning together and we supported one another along the way.

Once we graduated and we all began to interview for jobs, I’d get a text from everyone wishing me luck. Even Bridgette would send me notes of encouragement.

With every discouraging moment, there was a community to keep me lifted up.

It wasn’t long after I graduated that I landed my first job in tech at Strayer University as a tier 1 Help Desk technician. From there I have gone on to work for ICMA-RC’s Help Desk.

I’m great at my job! I take pride in what I do.

Coming in with the basic skills Per Scholas gave me, it’s up to me to take the initiative to build on that, and I’ve done that. I ask questions. Beyond tier 1, I want to know everything.

And I am so happy and blessed that I get to continue learning. ON MONDAY I will begin a course at General Assembly to become a web developer —- and I got a full scholarship.

Sometimes I can’t believe it.

I’ve been doing the pre-work for the course and I’m knocking it out of the park!

When I get home from work, my fingers are itching to get to programming. I love every minute of learning to use Github, ruby rails, terminal… I cannot wait until my first day!

In tech —- and in life —- you have to constantly grow. The moment you stay still is the moment you stop your success.

I am my son’s role model. I want to provide him a great education and a better life. He is so smart, and I want to nurture that.

He’s only been here for two years and we spent most of that time living in a den with no windows and no door. I know he won’t remember that, and I don’t want him to. I want him to have a normal childhood, carefree and not grow up worrying about having food on the table.

I want to avoid that struggle at all cost —- and I am closer and closer to that point and have never been so confident.

Per Scholas really changes lives.

I cannot emphasize that point enough.

I am smart. I am extremely hard working. I just didn’t know where to go or what to do to begin and put my potential in action. My situation is not unusual. There are so many like me and we just need that door opened —- and we are ready to sprint through it.

I found Per Scholas and I am flying.

Your being here is so powerful. Your being here matters. It creates opportunity. It changes lives.

It is such a honor to be here tonight. I get the honor of acknowledging those of you who helped to make my opportunities possible. Accenture and Symantec, our presenting sponsors tonight. Thank you! Also supporting tonight are Capital One, Catholic Charities, DNS, Iron Bow and Magview. We so appreciate your collaboration.

I also want to recognize the Per Scholas board and host committee who helped make tonight possible. Thank you.

What I go on to achieve will be in part because you believed in me. And I cannot say thank you enough.

Thank you all and thank you Per Scholas!

LaQuana, age 23, walked confidently into the Park Avenue offices of Kate Spade New York to meet with the Director of the Kate Spade & Co Foundation, Valerie Biberaj. The Kate Spade & Co Foundation is a long-time funder of the Per Scholas Women in Tech course, the course from which LaQuana is a graduate. LaQuana received the personal invitation from Valerie after they met at the Per Scholas New York spring gala.

LaQuana took it in as she walked through the halls. The walls were colorful, the office sophisticated, and not to mention, everyone was dressed gorgeously. LaQuana thought to herself, Wow.

Just a few months before, LaQuana was unemployed and disabled. She was working retail and going to college for Public Administration when she had a fall and dislocated her kneecap. LaQuana could not work or go to school, and was immobile for more than six months. These challenges were increasingly trying because she also had a 5-year-old son to care for at home.

“For those six months, I was so depressed,” she says.

This wasn’t the first bridge that LaQuana crossed. When she was very young, she lost both her parents and entered the foster care system along with her siblings. They were split up and placed in different homes in New York City for the remainder of her childhood.

“I’ve had to grow up really fast. But the key is a positive attitude.”

So, that’s what she did. She researched opportunities for kids in foster care, and found that she could get funding for her college education. “A part of being in the [foster care] situation is learning how to make the most of it,” she says. “I learned what I needed to survive.”

LaQuana’s knee injury, however, prevented her from graduating college and she found herself again on an unpredictable path. She needed to figure out what to do with her life, her career, and her family.

“I needed a place to start. I needed to focus on my future,” she says. At this time, her sister told her about Per Scholas, a tech school located not far from her home in the Bronx. A spark was ignited; LaQuana applied immediately.

At Per Scholas, LaQuana joined the Women in Tech class, an all-women cohort of the IT Support course. She found the camaraderie among her fellow female technologists helpful and comforting.

“All the women stuck together. It was wonderful.”

She especially loved her instructors, Jose Jurado her Career Coach, and Opo Herrera her tech instructor. Jose’s style of teaching is tough, she shares, but he was also a strong male role model in her life. “Jose was like a father figure to me. He showed me I could do it.”

She graduated, got certified, and was ready to take on the tech world. “I loved everything from the beginning to the end,” she says.

LaQuana got a call for an opportunity she could not pass up: a two-year apprenticeship with Barclays. After a grueling all-day interview, she was accepted.

She gushes, “Working for Barclays is like a dream come true. I get to provide quality service to bankers and other people in the bank. This position was chosen for me. It just fits perfectly.”

After a roller coaster of ups and downs, LaQuana is now stable and better than ever. “I have a car. I have an income to support myself and my son,” she shares. “My experience has opened my mind up to a lot of things. Per Scholas enlightened me and now I can enlighten others. There’s always a way up and out.”

Flash forward to LaQuana’s visit with Kate Spade & Co Foundation. She was wowed by them. They were wowed by her, too. That day, LaQuana spoke in front of the entire board of the Foundation at the request of Valerie.

“I am willing to do all that I can to help the success of more women joining the IT field,” she says.

Now, she and Valerie talk regularly. LaQuana looks forward to what the future will bring.

“It can’t get any worse for me, it can only get better. I am so excited and happy for the future.”

In the evenings, Per Scholas graduate Angelica sits outside her home and watches her children play in her yard. On the weekends, they go swimming, play together, and enjoy spending time together.

To say that Angelica’s life has changed dramatically since she graduated Per Scholas is an understatement.

On December 26, 2012, the single mother and her three children were forced to move out of their apartment. They had nowhere to go; they were homeless.

At the time, Angelica was unemployed with little hope for the future. She had spent her career in the healthcare field, but was unemployable because of a back injury. “I felt helpless…hopeless, even,” she says.

She moved herself and her children into her grandmother’s one-room basement. Although she had a roof over her head, things were looking bleak. She had spent her career in healthcare and all she had to show for it was debt and disappointment.

One day Angelica’s father gave her a flyer for Per Scholas. He encouraged her to apply, convincing her that she has always had a knack for technology. Angelica was skeptical; she had no experience in IT. “How can I do this? I didn’t even have a laptop. Everything was gone in my life,” she says.

After checking out the Per Scholas website, Angelica decided to give it a try. What did she have to lose?

When she walked into Per Scholas, her life was forever changed. “I fell in love with the opportunity and the many doors that were opened to me. Per Scholas was a life changer and a life saver.”

While enrolled in the Per Scholas IT Support course, busy was her new norm. And that was a good thing. Every day, she would take her two eldest kids to school, and drop her 14-month old daughter at a family member’s house. She would go to school at Per Scholas, take care of her kids at night, and study after they went to bed. Rinse and repeat. “My days were long,” she says. “A lot of times I felt overwhelmed. There was so much going on in my life. I was taking on something completely new to me. I had never done anything in technology. There were times that I felt that I wasn’t going to do this.”

Fortunately, her classmates, instructors, and Per Scholas staff provided a strong community of support. While in training, one of her classmates actually purchased her a laptop so she could do her assignments at home. Her instructor, James Miao, came in on Saturdays to help the class stay on top of the material. Robin Green, Workforce Development Coordinator, put her in touch with places for her and her kids to live. “Everyone kept telling me, ‘‘You are not going to do this alone.’ It was like a family.”

On top of learning the tech skills necessary to secure a job, the Per Scholas course connects its students with industry professionals from our corporate partners. Volunteers from Per Scholas Signature Partner Nationwide Insurance spoke to her class. She says once she heard from Nationwide, she knew: “That’s where I want to work.”

Angelica graduated Valedictorian of her class. After graduation, she found work with Garden City Group working in the call center. She also went back for her Net+ certification.

Even though the work at Garden City was good, she didn’t want to give up on Nationwide just yet. After graduation, Robin paired her with mentor from Nationwide, Lori King, Assistant Vice President of IT Infrastructure. Angelica met with Lori one morning and they immediately clicked. Lori saw what Angelica saw in herself: a smart and passionate IT professional. Angelica interviewed for a position at Nationwide and started soon after.

She has worked at the company for almost a year as a Contractor and is currently interviewing for a permanent position. At Nationwide, she works with many Per Scholas alums. Her community of support has followed her.

“I have so much confidence now and so much hope. Per Scholas is going to revolutionize our country. It’s such a valid and viable program.”

Two months after working at Nationwide, Angelica was able to save all her money and start renting a four-bedroom single family home for her and her kids.

“I now get to get out and just enjoy life. It’s a much better life for my children. There’s so much I can offer my children now after Per Scholas. This is not a temporary thing. I feel like things are just going to get better,” she says.

So what’s next for Angelica? She hopes to be able to learn more about programming so that she can build technology to help single and working mothers. For someone who has overcome hurdle after hurdle, the sky’s the limit.

“Per Scholas was my light at the end of a long, dark tunnel and I am infinitely grateful for the fresh start I got after completing the course.”

Naya, Per Scholas graduate, embodies the go-getter spirit that will continue to revolutionize the tech industry for years to come. Just as many trailblazing technologists before her, Naya marches to the beat of her own drum. She built her first computer at age 8 and she’s been hooked since.

Naya grew up in New York City and has been doing odd jobs to make her own money since the age of 14. In high school, she started her own tech support business fixing cell phones–a skill she learned from watching a YouTube video when her own device broke.

After high school, Naya continued on to college studying computer science at LaGuardia Community College. Here she had her first experience with programming, participating in the Hour of Code through Codeacademy. “I fell in love. It was really fun. I got to be creative while also doing tech. It was my first interaction with coding,” she says.

After a year in college, Naya was having a hard time paying for tuition. Going to class and working odd jobs wasn’t cutting it. “I needed to move out of my mom’s house. I needed a stable job to pay for college and support myself.”

A friend told her about Per Scholas and Naya realized that she could launch the career she’s always wanted, with or without a degree.

She enrolled. The course was thorough, she says, and directly prepares an individual to become a tech professional. “I became well versed in my technical knowledge. I learned to speak the lingo and I learned the needed skills to get a job.”

During her time at Per Scholas Naya had a full plate professionally and personally. She was still taking two college courses while going to Per Scholas full time. Money was extremely tight.

“There were a lot of times when I didn’t have money to eat,” she says. Struggling to find her own place upon graduation, the Per Scholas community rallied to help her find a roof over her head and resources to make ends meet. “If I didn’t have Per Scholas, I would be homeless. If it wasn’t for them, I would just be getting by,” she says. “Per Scholas helped me get on my feet.”

Shortly after graduation, she found somewhere to live and started working three jobs: interning at the Black Car Fund; doing contract work at Peak Systems; and working as a Technical Assistant at Per Scholas.

After a few months of juggling multiple jobs, Naya found a permanent position at the American Booksellers Association as an Office Tech Support Coordinator. Now she works at Agile Networks. She has her own condo, too, just 20 minutes from her job in Times Square. That is a lot to accomplish (and overcome) at such a young age. 

“The most important thing right now is learning as much as I can in the technology field. As a woman in technology, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to make sure you are well versed and confident in what you’re doing. I want to gain as much experience as I can to move ahead, and give back.”

In the future, Naya hopes to work hard enough to be her own boss. “For the future, I know I want to have my own company. I want to do something that includes giving back and technology.”

Talk about leaning in. Sheryl Sandberg would be impressed.

As far back as she can remember, Per Scholas graduate Lisa Edwards has been a natural problem solver. Before Per Scholas, she worked many different firms including accounting, real estate, and insurance. At every placement she worked, she was a valuable asset, always finding ways to save the company money and time.

There was just one problem: at all her jobs, she was a temp. She was tired of always looking for new work, despite excelling at her temporary positions. She wanted something permanent and stable — the kind of job where she could use her well-honed problem solving skills to move up.

One afternoon shortly after being unemployed, Lisa was standing on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn when Jeffrey Hatton, Per Scholas director of community engagement, handed her a flyer for the program. She didn’t look at it, but put it in her bag and kept walking. After a few weeks, she took a look at the flyer again, attended an information session on a Friday, and enrolled in the Women in Tech class starting the following Monday.

“I realized that everything is run on some sort of technology. If I can do this for the next 30 years, there are so many areas that I can be actively working. Technology has so many opportunities for me.”

The training at Per Scholas was just was she had been looking for. She wanted skills, real skills that would translate into a viable career. “When I first walked in on that Monday, they had the motherboards right on the desk. I was totally excited. It was so hands-on.”

Besides the technical skills, Lisa learned a lot from her fellow women classmates. “In class at Per Scholas, I learned to focus. Most women have a lot of responsibility. Their responsibility is not just financial. They are solely responsible for their household, for their family. I learned that I had to delegate things so I could focus on learning this new thing in my life.”

Upon graduating with her CompTIA A+ and Net+ certifications, Lisa landed an internship at the MTA where she worked in the Network Operations Center for 9 months. Through this internship, she gained valuable experience.

Lisa knows the power of connections, especially for women in the vast technology industry of New York City. Through attending networking events, talking to colleagues, and her contacts at Per Scholas, Lisa finished her internship at the MTA and walked straight into a job at Barclays. She is now an Analyst, where she uses her strong skill set to find patterns and solve problems on a daily basis.

This year at the first annual Bronx Tech Summit Lisa got the chance to meet Minerva Tantoco, the Chief Technology Officer of New York City. Ms. Tantoco gave Lisa a tip: a key tool in being successful in this industry is networking. Advice Lisa was already living by. “You have to have the skills, but knowing the people can get you to the front of the line.”

Her passion for women in tech sparked by her education at Per Scholas continues at Barclays. Lisa is part of the Women in Tech program at her employer where she is heavily involved in throwing networking events for women of all ages.

“I want to be a part of getting women to elevate themselves into higher positions,” she says.

She also loves Barclays because she says there’s always room to grow. “With the skills that I have and my understanding of the field, I see myself in a place where I can move up in this company.”

Lisa also commends Barclays for their involvement in the community. Through her position on the Networking Committee in the Women in Tech program there, she gets the chance to help other women follow a path to success.

“I like people. I am happy to see people grow and improve themselves. I hope to constantly improve upon myself. I like to share my positivity.”

Taariq Williams walked into Per Scholas from day one with an attitude of motivation. Tech was his passion; and he knew that Per Scholas was the chance he’d been waiting for to launch a career.

For Taariq, this chance was a long time coming. He had always loved computers, calling himself the “Gadget Guy” growing up. After he graduated high school, he applied to college and enrolled at ASA College, a for-profit institution, to study technology. He wanted to get into the industry, and thought college was the best way to get there. Unfortunately, due to financial strain, he had to drop out of college after just one year.

Even though college didn’t work out, Taariq was determined to find another way to pursue a technology career. He learned about Per Scholas through his cousin, a New York graduate, and applied. Taariq made it all the way to the final interview, the last step in a lengthy process, and was declined due to a limited number of spaces available in the class. “It was disappointing, but I had to keep going.”

Now twice discouraged, he began looking for work and took a job at the US Post Office. The pay was good, the job was stable, but something was missing. “It wasn’t skills-based work. I didn’t have a passion for it. Even though you can make a good living there, the work itself didn’t matter to me. I wanted to do something that I like doing every day.”

He stayed at the Post Office for a few months but couldn’t ignore what was driving him. He knew what he wanted. “I haven’t felt this strong about something in a long time,” he says. “I didn’t want to give up on tech.”

Many people either aren’t brave enough to reapply or they tell themselves it’s not an option. But Taariq wouldn’t take no for an answer and reapplied to Per Scholas, and proved second chances are real. He was accepted at Per Scholas in 2015 in the IT Support class.

Blown away by the quality of the education, his favorite part of the Per Scholas course was the Career Development, the portion of the training that teaches students how to job search, write an effective resume, and essential workplace skills like communication. “I knew that Per Scholas was the place for me, but when I got into the program, I was even more impressed.”

While a student, Taariq had the chance to participate in the Imagine Gala, Per Scholas New York’s biggest fundraiser of the year, where he helped to run the Tech Challenge, an interactive portion of the event’s program. Guests are walked through stations where they have to solve technical issues, like removing a virus or reconnecting a network. Students like Taariq guided them through each station. The guests learn more about what a Per Scholas student learns, and the student learns how to network and present professionally. “Per Scholas puts you in good situations that help you challenge yourself,” Taariq says.

His dedication to bettering himself while at Per Scholas didn’t go unnoticed at home. He says his mother recognized just how motivated Taariq was throughout the training and started pitching in by making him lunch every day and helping him with his transportation fare when she could. He says he really appreciated the extra support during the intense training.

Now, post graduation, Taariq works at Per Scholas corporate Partner Time Warner Cable (TWC) as a Technician where he repairs and restores internet and cable in homes. The steady paycheck is wonderful, and he gets to use his newly polished networking and communication skills every day.

“Having the stability and being able to provide for your family is the greatest thing,” he says.

He loves TWC and recognizes that the company has a lot of opportunity to move up the ladder.

A strong Per Scholas advocate, Taariq is now trying to recruit his friends to go through the program as well. “I think I can show people my story and help them,” he says. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without Per Scholas.”