What Per Scholas and AIR learned about AI adoption in workforce development 

A new thought leadership article from Per Scholas and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) explores the realities of integrating artificial intelligence into workforce training and the lessons organizations have learned along the way. In “What We Got Wrong (and Right) about Bringing AI into Workforce Training,” authors Samia Amin and Tamara Johnson reflect on five years of collaboration between AIR and Per Scholas to better understand how AI can support learners preparing for careers in technology.

The article centers on Per Scholas’ implementation of an AI-powered intelligent tutoring system designed to help learners prepare for industry certification exams. While the tool proved effective for learners who used it, nearly half of the participants never engaged with the platform. Rather than treating the rollout as a failed pilot, Per Scholas and AIR used the findings to rethink how AI tools are introduced, supported, and evaluated within workforce training environments.

The piece highlights several key lessons from the partnership. One major takeaway is the importance of starting with a clear theory of change before implementing AI solutions. The authors emphasize that organizations must define how a tool is expected to create value, the assumptions about learner behavior, and how success will be measured over time.

The article also underscores the importance of measuring early indicators of progress rather than waiting for long-term outcomes, such as job attainment. By tracking learner engagement, adoption rates, and usage patterns, organizations can more quickly determine whether an initiative is gaining traction and where adjustments may be needed.

Another central theme is that adoption itself must be treated as a design challenge. The authors, Amin and Johnson, note that learners and staff often gravitate toward familiar tools and systems, meaning successful AI implementation requires thoughtful onboarding, support strategies, and continuous iteration.

The article further explores how organizational culture influences successful AI adoption. At Per Scholas, a strong focus on economic mobility and learner outcomes has guided decisions on which AI initiatives to pursue. Meanwhile, AIR adapted its traditional research approaches to better align with the pace and complexity of AI-driven program changes.

Looking ahead, the authors explain that these lessons are now shaping future work around AI-powered career coaching and job placement tools. Ultimately, the article argues that the organizations best positioned for the future will not simply be the first to adopt new AI technologies, but those that build internal capacity to continuously learn, adapt, and improve over time.

Read the full article here: What We Got Wrong (and Right) about Bringing AI into Workforce Training.

Per Scholas Launches New Training to Build Critical Infrastructure Talent in Collaboration with Microsoft

As AI and cloud computing continue to expand, so does the demand for the workforce behind the systems powering them. Data centers and critical infrastructure environments require highly skilled talent—but traditional pathways are struggling to keep pace.

To address this gap, Per Scholas and Microsoft have launched a new Critical Infrastructure training program, beginning with a 15-week cohort in Atlanta.

Co-designed with Microsoft, the program prepares individuals, many of whom have no prior experience, for roles supporting mission-critical environments. Through more than 400 hours of hands-on, instructor-led training, learners gain the technical, operational, and professional skills needed to maintain complex systems and ensure continuous uptime. The inaugural cohort begins June 22, 2026, with applications open through June 8, 2026. Learn more and apply here.

This collaboration reflects a broader shift toward employer-aligned training models. By building curriculum around real-world job requirements, Per Scholas and Microsoft are creating a more direct pathway from training to employment—reducing hiring friction while accelerating readiness.

The program also builds on existing momentum. In the past three years, Per Scholas has trained more than 500 data center technicians, many of whom are now working in critical infrastructure roles, including within Microsoft operations.

While the inaugural cohort launches in Atlanta, the long-term goal is to scale this model nationwide—creating a consistent, predictable pipeline of talent to meet growing demand.

At its core, the partnership represents a shared commitment to expanding access to high-growth careers while strengthening the workforce that powers today’s digital economy.

Read the full Press Release

As artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in hiring processes, many organizations are looking to technology as the solution to persistent tech talent shortages. While AI can accelerate decision making, it cannot fix the underlying systems that determine how talent is evaluated and selected.

A new thought leadership piece from Per Scholas highlights a critical gap in today’s hiring landscape. There is a disconnect between the widespread adoption of skills first hiring and the systems needed to make it work.

Over the past decade, skills first hiring has gained momentum as employers seek to move beyond traditional degree requirements. However, recent data shows that many organizations are backsliding, with degree requirements reappearing in job postings and outdated hiring practices persisting. At the same time, the most in demand skills including AI fluency, prompt engineering, and hands on technical problem solving are often developed outside traditional degree pathways.

The result is a growing mismatch between how employers hire and where talent is being developed.

The article outlines three key areas where skills first initiatives often break down. These include job descriptions, screening tools, and internal alignment. Many hiring managers continue to rely on legacy job descriptions that prioritize degrees and years of experience over demonstrated skills. At the same time, AI powered screening tools, which are now used by the majority of employers, can unintentionally reinforce bias by learning from historical hiring data. Without intentional redesign, these tools risk scaling the very inequities they were meant to reduce.

Internal alignment presents another challenge. Without shared definitions of what skills matter and how to evaluate them, hiring decisions remain inconsistent. Many decision makers receive little to no training, leaving skills first hiring open to interpretation rather than execution.

The piece positions CIOs as uniquely equipped to lead this shift. With direct visibility into the impact of talent gaps on system performance, project delivery, and organizational risk, CIOs are well positioned to redefine what qualified talent looks like in an AI driven environment.

Leading organizations are already taking action. By clearly defining role specific skills, aligning IT and HR around shared performance metrics, and building direct partnerships with workforce training providers, they are creating more effective and inclusive talent pipelines. These approaches not only improve hiring outcomes but also drive stronger retention and faster time to productivity.

At Per Scholas, this model is already in practice. Through employer aligned training programs and partnerships with organizations like Bank of America and TEKsystems, Per Scholas connects learners to high growth careers in IT, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI. Graduates bring both technical expertise and the critical smart skills such as problem solving, adaptability, and collaboration that are essential in today’s workforce.

The takeaway is clear. Technology alone cannot solve the talent gap. Real progress requires rethinking the systems that define and evaluate talent and building stronger alignment between employers, training providers, and workforce leaders.

As AI continues to reshape the future of work, organizations that invest in skills first systems not just skills first statements will be best positioned to compete.

Read full piece here.

In celebration of National IT Service Day, Per Scholas was honored to host a dynamic virtual panel featuring three distinguished leaders from IBM. Titled “Inside the Tech Workforce,” the event provided our learners and alumni with a rare, “under the hood” look at one of the world’s largest technology companies, and was the final panel of a series from IBM. 

The session served as a powerful reminder of the impact of our long-standing partnership with IBM. By bridging the gap between classroom training and industry reality, events like these empower our community to see themselves not just as participants in the tech economy, but as its future leaders.

Leading Perspectives from the Front Lines of Innovation

The panel featured a cross-section of IBM’s top talent, representing decades of experience and a wide array of technical disciplines. Our community had the privilege of hearing from:

• Jay Overacre (Global IT Transformation Leader, DevIT Services): A 30-year IBM veteran, Jay shared his expertise on leading data center transformations and providing the infrastructure that powers global software development.
• Tamela (Product Owner, AI Content Governance): Highlighting the critical “human” side of tech, Tamela discussed her hybrid role in AI governance and technical writing, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and responsibility in emerging technologies.
• Kurt Koehle (Power Cloud Consultant): With 31 years at IBM and experience working in 23 different countries, Kurt inspired learners with stories of global travel and the evolving landscape of cloud consultancy.

From the intricacies of Cloud Infrastructure and IT Automation to the emerging ethics of AI Content Governance, the speakers provided actionable career advice and shared the personal “why” behind their long-standing careers at IBM.

A Partnership Built on Opportunity

At Per Scholas, we believe that talent is found everywhere, but opportunity is not. Our partnership with IBM is a cornerstone of our mission to change that reality. By volunteering their time and expertise, these IBMers provided more than just information—they provided mentorship and a roadmap for success.

The energy throughout the session was electric, with learners and alumni engaging in a deep-dive Q&A that touched on everything from breaking into UX design to the daily habits that lead to a 30-year career in tech.

Get Involved: Corporate Engagement

We extend our deepest gratitude to Jay, Tamela, and Kurt for their time and transparency. Their contributions help ensure that Per Scholas graduates are not just job-ready, but industry-ready.

Are you interested in bringing your company’s expertise to our learners? We are always looking for corporate partners to host panels, provide mentorship, or lead technical workshops.

To learn more about corporate engagement opportunities and how your team can help shape the future of the tech workforce, please contact Tori Grafeman at tgrafeman@perscholas.org.

How Per Scholas Scales Tech Careers with CompTIA

As artificial intelligence reshapes the labor market, workforce organizations are under pressure to deliver stronger outcomes while adapting to rapid change. In a recent webinar, Dr. Mardy Leathers of CompTIA  and Plinio Ayala, CEO of Per Scholas discussedhow data, credentials, and AI can be used in practical ways to scale impact.

A central theme of the conversation, and reinforced in a recent CompTIA case study and thought leadership piece, was the widening gap between access to information and the ability to apply it effectively. As Leathers noted, the challenge is not data scarcity, but a shortage of expertise. The ability to analyze, filter, and apply information is becoming a defining skill in an AI-driven economy.

Industry-recognized credentials, including those from CompTIA, play a critical role in closing that gap. As highlighted in CompTIA’s recent case study on Per Scholas, structured certification pathways help translate foundational IT and cybersecurity training into stackable, career-aligned skills. This creates a shared baseline of competency for both learners and workforce practitioners, while enabling clearer progression into advanced technical roles.

Per Scholas demonstrates how this approach can scale. Over the past 30 years, the organization has expanded from a local initiative into a national leader in workforce development, serving learners in more than 20 cities and working toward a goal of training 25,000 technologists annually by 2030.

That growth has been fueled by empowered leadership, disciplined use of data, and strong partnerships. By distributing decision making and building complementary teams, Per Scholas has created space for innovation while maintaining focus on outcomes. Data plays a critical role in that model. As emphasized in both the webinar discussion and CompTIA’s blog on “leading with data, not hype,” clear metrics guide new initiatives, and insights are used to refine programs over time. This approach allows teams to adapt quickly, focus on what works, and move on from what does not.

Partnerships further extend reach. Through its satellite model, Per Scholas works with local organizations to deliver training in new communities, combining centralized instruction with on-the-ground support. AI is also being used as a force multiplier. From improving candidate matching to enhancing learning support, these tools are helping connect more learners to opportunity. At the same time, Ayala emphasized that AI adoption must be responsible, equitable, and aligned with mission.

To prepare learners for this shift, Per Scholas has embedded AI literacy across its programs, ensuring graduates not only earn industry-recognized credentials like CompTIA certifications, but also develop the fluency to apply emerging tools effectively in the workplace.Together, these strategies show how workforce organizations can scale impact in an AI-driven economy—by combining trusted credentials, data-informed decision-making, and mission-aligned partnerships.

To hear the full conversation and dive deeper into these insights, watch the webinar recording of Plinio Ayala and Dr. Mardy Leathers.

In the rapidly evolving tech landscape of Indianapolis, finding job-ready entry-level talent is a perennial challenge for many firms. For Bell Techlogix, a leader in managed IT services and holistic IT lifecycle management, the solution wasn’t found in traditional job boards—it was found in a revitalized partnership with Per Scholas.

While the relationship originally began when Per Scholas opened its Indianapolis campus in 2023, it reached a new level of “immediate connection” in 2024. With a fresh wave of HR leadership and a shared vision for the local workforce, the partnership was fully activated. Since then, Bell Techlogix has hired seven Per Scholas graduates into critical IT Support roles, creating a reliable pipeline of diverse, high-caliber talent.

The transition from a learner to a professional at Bell Techlogix is rigorous. Shaira Shelton, Talent Acquisition Manager, and Dayana Tellez, Talent Acquisition & Onboarding Advisor, have watched Per Scholas technologists navigate this transition with remarkable speed.

“When we’re bringing on service desk analysts from Per Scholas, they go through an intensive five-day learning and development session,” explains Shaira Shelton. “They then go onto a specific account and are trained on how that specific customer likes to be communicated with. We’ve seen technologists from Per Scholas move into deeper troubleshooting levels faster than some of the other talent  we’ve hired.”

Dayana Tellez notes that the feedback from team managers has been overwhelmingly positive: “I’ve connected with the managers these new hires report to. They’ve filled the gap, are exceeding expectations, and are hitting the marks exactly where they are needed. Per Scholas has definitely been a really good partner when it comes to diversifying our applicants and our pipeline.”

One of the most insightful parts of the partnership is Bell Techlogix’s outlook on the future of the workforce. While the industry is buzzing about AI, Shaira and Dayana argue that the “human element” is becoming more valuable, not less. They’ve moved away from the term “soft skills,” preferring to call them “Power Skills” or “Essential Skills.”

“We still need to support entry-level IT professionals. While AI can help with back-end work, we still need the human element—the problem-solving, communication, and reliability. We’re seeing those ‘Power Skills’ in the talent coming from Per Scholas,” Shaira shares.

What truly cements this partnership is that Bell Techlogix doesn’t just wait for resumes to hit their inbox; they help write the success stories. Shaira, Dayana, and the wider Bell Techlogix team are active volunteers in Per Scholas Professional Development (PD) classes. From conducting mock interviews to providing direct feedback on what the industry currently lacks, they are deeply embedded in the curriculum.

“It’s so much more rewarding than just sending over a job posting,” Shaira reflects. “Going to the graduations has been great—especially after doing mock interviews and then seeing them walk across the stage. You start to feel a sense of pride. You want to help them reach their goals.”

This feedback loop is a two-way street. When Bell Techlogix identifies a specific skill gap (referred to as “X, Y, or Z” in the field), the Per Scholas instructional team adapts.

“We’ll give feedback and say, ‘Hey, they’re missing X,’ and then the next round of candidates comes prepared with it. Having that back-and-forth is something that’s really rare,” adds Shaira.

As Bell Techlogix looks toward the future, its goal is simple: Hire more. They view Per Scholas as the first stop when a new role opens up.

By hiring graduates like Jacob Mashmeyer, who transitioned from a learner to an alumni speaker at his own graduation, Bell Techlogix is proving that the Indianapolis IT market is vibrant, diverse, and ready for the future.

“We look forward to continuing to hire and partner as we move into the rest of the year and beyond,” Shaira concludes. “We just think the world of Per Scholas, really.”

At American Art Clay Co. (AMACO), the mission is to provide high-quality materials that help artists bring their visions to life. But recently, a different kind of “shaping” has been taking place within their IT department. Through a strategic partnership with Per Scholas, AMACO has discovered a new standard for technical excellence, customer service, and community reinvestment.

When IT Director Marty Dickerson took over the department, he faced a significant challenge. The IT team’s internal reputation was struggling. The goal was to transform the support desk into a high-level service department that empowered the rest of the company.

Marty, an active member and mentor within the Society for Information Management (SIM), a national network for IT leaders, found a natural ally in Per Scholas. Through his connection with Theron Wilson, Managing Director of Per Scholas Indianapolis and fellow SIM colleague, Marty realized that the solution to his talent gap lay in a program that emphasizes both technical grit and professional polish.

Enter Karl Kuehn, a Per Scholas graduate who arrived at AMACO with a “fire” that immediately caught leadership’s attention. Even during a rigorous interview process, Karl stood out for his technical knowledge and his exceptional communication skills.

“I have specific things I look for in potential employees and resumes,” says Ted Shockey, Senior IT Technician and Karl’s direct mentor. “Karl hit most of those for me. I can teach anybody how to fix something; I can teach you the steps. But I can’t teach you the soft skills, how to deal with people. At a point, you either know how to do it or you don’t. Karl was given the tools to show he can, and he does.”

Starting as a Junior Technician, Karl had an immediate impact. He has since been promoted to IT Technician, demonstrating that the Per Scholas blueprint produces professionals ready for rapid career progression.

The hallmark of Karl’s tenure at AMACO was a project that neither Marty nor Ted saw coming. Assigned to overhaul a production-side application, Karl went beyond fixing the existing bugs and reimagined the tool from the ground up.

“He took that project and knocked it out of the park at a level neither of us foresaw,” Marty recalls. “When he went through an alpha test with us, it was amazing. It was a level beyond. It made things easier for our production personnel, and they’ve already forgotten all they had to go through with the previous application.”

For AMACO, the impact was clear: Karl wasn’t just maintaining their systems; he was innovating on their behalf. For this Per Scholas alumnus, the impact was a life-changing career path where his work is valued at the highest levels of the company.

What makes the AMACO and Per Scholas partnership unique is its “full circle” nature. The impact goes both ways:

1. Talent for AMACO: The company gained a high-performing, culture-fit Per Scholas technician who required minimal onboarding. “If you could get me another person even close to Karl’s skill levels… I’d take all I could,” Ted says.
2. Hardware for Per Scholas: AMACO recognizes that for learners to succeed, they need physical equipment to practice on. Marty has facilitated the donation of “aged-out” laptops to Per Scholas labs. “It’s great that we have hardware we can contribute to support that effort,” Marty explains. “It’s a small way to sow back into the organization and say thanks.”
3. Mentorship for the Community: Through the SIM connection and professional development projects, AMACO leadership stays engaged with the Per Scholas mission, ensuring the curriculum remains aligned with real-world employer needs.

As AMACO looks toward the future, including upcoming retirements and departmental shifts, they aren’t worried about where their next great hire will come from. They already know the way to Per Scholas.

“The confidence Per Scholas built into him is a huge factor in his success here,” Marty says. 

By blending the “how” of technology with the “how to deliver,” Per Scholas has provided AMACO with more than an employee. They’ve partnered with talent dedicated to the same artistry and care that go into every piece of clay they produce.

At Per Scholas, leadership is about more than a title — it’s a commitment to expanding economic opportunity, strengthening workforce ecosystems, and connecting learners to high-growth technology careers. Today, we are thrilled to introduce two accomplished leaders who have stepped into newly created Executive Director roles across New York & New Jersey and Texas. These new positions reflect Per Scholas’ growth and its expanded impact in building technology talent pipelines across the country.

As Executive Directors, Suzanne Towns and Liza Ellen O’Connor will focus on strategy, partnerships, and resource development to expand access to technology careers. They will work closely with employers, government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and community partners to strengthen workforce ecosystems and support learner success. Across their respective regions, they will drive growth initiatives that connect learners to no-cost technology training in fields such as IT support, cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI, and more.

Meet the New Executive Directors:

Suzanne Towns – New York & New Jersey
Suzanne brings more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership roles spanning government, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. She has led large-scale workforce and economic opportunity initiatives, developed cross-sector strategies, and designed programs that connect talent to opportunity. Suzanne is skilled at translating strategy into operational models and building partnerships that align stakeholders around shared goals.

Liza Ellen O’Connor – Texas
Liza brings executive and C-suite leadership experience across education, workforce development, and economic mobility, including international advancement strategy at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, and the University of Limerick, Ireland. She has also held leadership roles with NFTE and Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep. Liza is recognized for her ability to build high-impact collaborations and develop initiatives that expand pathways to meaningful careers.

A Vision for Opportunity
Suzanne and Liza share a commitment to expanding access to high-growth technology careers and building partnerships that strengthen communities. Their leadership in these newly created roles reflects Per Scholas’ growth and its mission to connect learners to opportunity while strengthening workforce ecosystems nationwide.

Welcome, Suzanne and Liza!

Responding to a Rapidly-Changing Economy:
Per Scholas on Agile Workforce Development Approaches

As technology rapidly reshapes industries across the economy, workforce development systems must evolve just as quickly. In a new conversation with the America Forward Coalition, Per Scholas President Caitlyn Brazill and Director of Government Affairs and Policy Dillon Moore discuss how an agile, employer-connected training model can help workers build in-demand technology skills and adapt to a changing labor market.

For more than 30 years, Per Scholas has provided no-cost technology training designed to connect talent to opportunity. The organization has trained more than 30,000 learners nationwide and now operates in more than 20 cities nationwide, partnering with more than 1,000 employers to align training programs with real workforce needs.

The conversation also highlights the real impact of this approach through alumni stories. One example is Carter Guin, who discovered Per Scholas at a job fair while searching for a new career path. After completing training at a satellite campus in Covington, Kentucky, Carter quickly secured a role as an on-site support engineer supporting hospitals in the Cincinnati area. He has continued advancing his career, earning an MBA in IT management and pursuing additional certifications through Per Scholas’ Career Accelerator program.

In the conversation, Brazill also discusses how Per Scholas continuously adapts its curriculum to reflect emerging technologies, including integrating AI literacy and applied AI skills across programs. Moore outlines policy opportunities to strengthen workforce systems, enabling them to better support evidence-based training providers and expand access to skills training.

The discussion explores the importance of employer partnerships, the role of data-driven program improvement, and how policy changes, such as modernizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, could help expand access to high-quality workforce training nationwide. 

Read the full conversation to learn how responsive workforce strategies can help workers and employers succeed in a rapidly changing economy.

Full story here.

Per Scholas is proud to announce a continuation of our partnership with Ascendium Education Group, a nonprofit committed to helping learners from low-income backgrounds achieve their career goals.

Through this investment, Ascendium is supporting Per Scholas as we scale our proven tech workforce training model nationwide. The partnership will expand immersive training programs, strengthen work-based learning opportunities, and help ensure long-term sustainability, enabling more learners to access high-growth careers in technology.

As demand for talent accelerates in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, and Data Center operations, employers are seeking candidates with both technical proficiency and applied experience. Ascendium’s support will help Per Scholas keep its curriculum aligned to evolving industry needs while deepening hands-on learning through employer-led projects, apprenticeships, and other experiential models that prepare learners to contribute from day one.

“Scale requires more than resources — it requires shared belief in what is possible,” said Plinio Ayala, Chief Executive Officer of Per Scholas. “Ascendium’s partnership strengthens our ability to expand access to high-quality, no-cost training while maintaining the strong outcomes that define our model.”

With this investment, Per Scholas will increase enrollment in immersive training and Career Accelerator upskilling programs, launch new industry-aligned pathways, and continue building partnerships with employers and postsecondary institutions. The initiative also includes exploring public funding collaborations to support sustainable growth and broaden access to no-cost training.

Our partnership with Ascendium reflects a shared commitment to expanding pathways into thriving tech careers and strengthening long-term economic mobility for individuals, families, and communities nationwide.

About Ascendium:

Ascendium Education Group® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization driven by the belief that learning after high school gives people the power to build better futures. Our national philanthropy focuses on increasing opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds to achieve upward mobility through postsecondary education and workforce training. We partner with organizations whose objectives align with our core strategies to expand opportunity, support learner success, and connect and align systems. Our grantees include postsecondary education and workforce training providers, intermediaries, researchers, and media organizations from across the U.S. To learn more, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org.

About Per Scholas:

As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward—aiming to train and upskill 25,000 technologists annually by 2030, expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 30,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills, generating over $35 billion in increased personal earnings. On average, our learners earn 3x their pre-training wage in their first role after Per Scholas. With 25 campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.

Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.