Kenneth Walker, Per Scholas’ Executive Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Culture, recently gave a tour of the Per Scholas museum, located at our Bronx, NY, campus. During the tour, Ken took viewers from Per Scholas’ founding in 1995, through our organization’s growth and valued accomplishments, and finally to our goals for the future. 

Per Scholas was founded in 1995, with the goal of helping to bridge the digital divide in the South Bronx which was, at that time, the poorest congressional district in the nation. In its earliest stages, Per Scholas hired local South Bronx residents to recycle used computers. Computers were either broken down on an assembly line and sold for parts or fixed up and distributed to local schools and families. 

In 1998, realizing the life-changing potential of a tech education, Per Scholas shifted its mission from refurbishing computers to opening doors for tech careers. In the museum tour video, Ken walked viewers through these early days of the organization, using personal anecdotes, pictures, and actual artifacts featured in the museum, to augment his story. 

Ken also covered some of the organization’s accomplishments featured on the museum timeline, such as classes for children and seniors in the early 2000s, breaking ground at Yankee Stadium, ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in 2009, and the beginning of our expansion beyond the New York City location to cities all across the U.S. in 2012.

Ken discussed some of Per Scholas’ goals for the future and expressed how amazing it has been to see, firsthand, our organization’s incredible growth over the years. He also showed viewers the incredible murals painted on the walls of our Bronx campus, which feature some of our diverse learners. To learn more about our murals, click here.

Watch the full museum tour video here! 

Per Scholas partnered with Hired in August for a webinar for our learners to learn how to employ their potential. This was an enriching opportunity for our learners to connect with business professionals to gain industry knowledge on marketing themselves.  The virtual event lasted for an hour and a half and was a chance to network as well. 

More than 200 learners and graduates in Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, and AWS re/Start cohorts attended the Hired and Per Scholas webinar on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, to learn how to employ their potential with Hired, the largest AI-driven global marketplace that matches high-intent tech talent with the world’s most innovative companies. “Being able to develop and enhance relationships with Hired gives our learners and graduates ‘the edge’ as they gain access to an additional network of employers,” reflected Per Scholas Enterprise Account Manager Patrick Kazadi. “It is great to work with partners that are learners-centric.”

This innovative session consisted of a presentation to sign up for Hired and a chance to obtain coding assessment badges with a signup link specific for Per Scholas graduates. This was all followed by a live Q&A with the Hired Partnerships team.

We are proud that so many of our learners and graduates joined this webinar and took the next step toward their tech career opportunities. If you would like to partner with Per Scholas for webinars or professional development opportunities, please contact Miguelina Manriquez at mmanriquez@perscholas.org! Additionally, if you’d like to sign up as a learner, visit the Hired site!

Per Scholas hosted our inaugural Alumni Day of Giving fundraising event to celebrate our alumni’s successes. Throughout the day, we shared stories of our graduates on our social media platforms to recognize the incredible accomplishments of our 17,000+ alumni who have embarked on tech careers across the United States. In addition to the all-day fundraising celebration, our Alumni Services hosted a networking event for our graduates.

Following the day of fundraising, our alumni gathered for a virtual alumni celebration and networking event! It was a fantastic opportunity for our graduates to connect with fellow Per Scholas Alumni from all across the country and business leaders as well. Graduates learned more about the resources available within our Per Scholas Alumni Network. They hosted Breakout Sessions, including an Alumni Information Session, Peer Networking, a Professional Development discussion hosted by YuPro, and a Job Opportunities session hosted by Stellarworx. There were more than 350 individuals in attendance for the event. 

Per Scholas is proud to support our alumni for up to two years post-graduation, where our Alumni Services team provides guidance and the opportunity to participate in upskilling courses. Through the generous donations from this campaign, all supplies, textbooks, and laptops will be provided to two full cohorts.  We are grateful to Per Scholas Board member J.C. Lapierre who matched all donations up to $20,000.

We are proud to announce that our Alumni Day of Giving campaign raised more than $40,000, including J.C. Lapierre’s match, to support future cohorts for tuition-free tech training that will prepare learners to launch exciting careers in tech. 

National nonprofit Per Scholas has announced that Damien Howard is being promoted to Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer. An experienced, visionary leader with a passion for organizational growth and commitment to advancing economic equity, Damien joined Per Scholas in 2001 and has held various roles since, most recently as Executive Vice President of Social Ventures. As Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer, Damien will drive revenue across multiple verticals by aligning and optimizing the national nonprofit’s employer engagement business strategy. In this role, Damien will provide powerful, unified leadership for the Sales & Account Management, National Business Solutions, and Corporate Engagement Teams. 

“After working with Per Scholas for more than twenty years, I am eager to advance workforce equity and economic opportunity across the nation through my Enterprise Solutions role. Together with my team, we will connect Per Scholas’ business strategy with employer engagement and optimization to continue diversifying the tech landscape and advancing high-growth careers for our learners. I look forward to our team working across the organization to drive revenue growth,” said Damien Howard on his appointment. 

Damien is an innovative leader with broad-based expertise in sales, management, contract negotiations, operations, and business development. His proven ability to quickly analyze key business drivers and develop strategies to grow the business paired with high integrity and energetic thinking, makes Damien an essential part of Per Scholas’ National Leadership Team.

In 2016, Damien co-founded Diverse by Design with Per Scholas Executive Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Ken Walker, to move DEI&B conversation into action in the industry Per Scholas knows best: technology.

Damien is a past recipient of the Bonnie Potter Workforce Staff Award, presented by the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC). He is a sought-after speaker and expert featured by Forbes, Grow with Google, JFF Horizons, TEKsystems’ Version Next, Now, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The World Economic Forum, and more.  Damien attended Baruch College and graduated from the Columbia Business School Institute for Nonprofit Management.

Damien will spearhead Per Scholas’ ambitious plan to drive revenue across multiple verticals by aligning and optimizing the national nonprofit’s employer engagement business strategy Technology continues to be one of America’s highest growth sectors and, aligned with Per Scholas’ 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 nationwide.  

“With the tech industry and business strategies constantly evolving, Per Scholas is growing to meet employers’ needs by training America’s future technologists in the skills necessary for high-growth careers. Through our Enterprise Solutions and with Damien at the head of our enterprise strategy, we will connect our partners with the talent they seek for their business needs. I’m thrilled about Damien’s appointment to serve as our Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer and know with his expertise, leadership, business relationships, and strategy, Per Scholas will expand our relationships with leading businesses to increase economic and workforce equity and advance opportunity nationwide,” said Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas.

Per Scholas Philadelphia is thrilled to announce that we are a proud awardee of The Lenfest Foundation final grants! We are grateful to receive a $450k grant over the next three years from this highly respected foundation rooted in Philly. Since 2000, the foundation has sought to positively influence the education, youth development, and workforce development fields and communities by embedding new practices and strengthening organizations that provide these services, before sunsetting this summer.

The Lenfest Foundation grant will support our efforts over the next three years to successfully prepare participants for thriving wage careers and family-sustaining income over the course of their working lifetimes by fueling Per Scholas Philadelphia’s tuition-free tech training. 

“The Lenfest Foundation leaves a legacy of unwavering commitment to economic equity.  We are proud to be included as one of its final grantees and committed to increasing access to thriving wage careers in tech for all Philadelphians,” reflected Per Scholas Managing Director Nikki Pumphrey.

Per Scholas Philadelphia is honored to be one of the final grant awardees as the Foundation distributes all its assets. This grant opens the door for more funding organizations to recognize the work Per Scholas has done in the community. Since opening its doors in 2019, Per Scholas Philly has graduated more than 200 learners with an impressive 91% graduation rate, where over two-thirds of learners have launched full-time tech careers within twelve months of graduation. Additionally, these graduates earn an average salary four times their pre-training wage at about $55k per year, or more than $25 per hour. We are proud of our footprint in the Philadelphia community, where we can continue to advance workforce equity through supporters like The Lenfest Foundation.

Per Scholas North Carolina has prepared our learners for successful IT careers through our cost-free tech training. Recently, our Charlotte-based campus has been featured in the news for our partnerships with NC Tech Paths and Wilkes Community College (WCC), as well as a television feature on WBTV – the Charlotte CBS Affiliate.

We were mentioned in the Wilkes Journal-Patriot about our successful training in the entire state of North Carolina, where our learners graduate with in-demand tech skills for a high-growth tech career. Additionally, Per Scholas and NC Tech Paths work with Wilkes Community College, so all learners receive college credits and are eligible to return for additional certifications, diplomas, or degrees.

Read the full article here.

Managing Director Mike Terrell was a guest on WBTV’s QC@3, a segment of QCLIFE, a daytime television program, discussing the development of our training in Charlotte for the state. “The needs of our employers that we work with drive our curriculum. We work closely with our employers to ensure our curriculum is relevant and that we deliver the folks they need in those positions,” Mike mentioned.

Watch the full interview with Mike Terrell here.

To date, Per Scholas North Carolina has graduated twenty diverse individuals in partnership with WCC and NC Tech Paths. Ten of those graduates were in the Software Engineering training, while the other ten were in IT Support. Next, there are thirty confirmed learners for the upcoming IT Support cohort.

Per Scholas Chicago Managing Director Andi Drileck was a panelist for CompTIA’s Partner Welcome discussion, The Keys to Success. This discussion was among various panels at CompTIA’s Partner Summit, an event hosting their partners for recognition, learning, connection, and engagement. The Computing Technology Industry Association is an American non-profit trade association issuing professional certifications for the information technology industry. It is considered one of the IT industry’s top trade associations. Per Scholas offers training and preparation for many CompTIA certifications that are part of our regular training and alumni services: A+, Network+, CySA+ (cybersecurity), and Security+.

Andi Drileck was a member of the panel with Jason Dion, Lead Instructor at Dion Training Solutions, and Tiffany Wallace, VP of Business Development at United Training. The panel was moderated by James Stanger, Chief Technology Evangelist at CompTIA. During the panel, Andi discussed Per Scholas Chicago and our mission as well as our learner’s experience throughout training and beyond. “We need to help support our learners with that imposter syndrome they may have with additional workshops and support. Now, we try to provide the full holistic support for our learners so they can be successful,” Andi remarked. 

In addition to our cost-free tech training, Per Scholas also covers the cost of certifications and preparation tools following graduation for CompTIA certifications for our learners to obtain. To watch the full event, click here!

On July 25, Plinio Ayala, Per Scholas President and CEO, took part in a panel discussion put together by the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative.  The panel, NFL Presents: Advancing a More Equitable Workforce, featured Plinio Ayala and Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s (ARC) Executive Director, Sam Lewis as panelists, along with NFL Legends Warrick Dunn and Jason McCourty. 

The panel was moderated by Kimmi Chex, NFL Network on-air personality, and focused on creating equity in the workplace and the opportunity for employers to break down barriers and build a more inclusive and diverse workforce. Plinio took the opportunity to highlight Per Scholas’s approach to advancing economic equity, our skills training, and creating a thriving tech industry. “Economic mobility isn’t just a good thing to do; it is an economic imperative,” mentioned Plinio. “With the help of the NFL Inspire Change initiative, we continue to move the needle on diversity in the workforce. It’s a triple-win; companies get skilled talent for their in-demand roles, our learners advance their careers in tech, and the economy sees a boost.”

Watch the full event here!

Additionally, we showcased one of our top employers who is working on breaking down barriers, TEKsystems, and featured our Per Scholas New York graduate, Dorothee Cadet, in a short video. We are excited to have the support of partners such as TEKsystems, who are breaking down barriers to fill their talent pipelines with diverse and highly skilled workers. 

We look forward to more opportunities with the NFL Inspire Change Initiative to address economic advancement and mobility as they are one of Per Scholas’s Catalyst Partners. To stay up-to-date on our upcoming events with the NFL Foundation, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

The Allstate Foundation, a Founder’s Circle partner of Per Scholas, has funded our cost-free tech training programs since 2021. The Foundation proudly supports Per Scholas through its racial equity program. Our partnership will allow Per Scholas to provide rigorous IT job training and connections to employment opportunities for diverse adult learners from low-to-moderate income households across seventeen of our training campuses and has additionally extended to include us in their Fellows program.

The Allstate Fellows program is a skills-based volunteer initiative designed to strengthen the nonprofit community and invest in the professional development of Allstate employees. The program helps nonprofits address critical organizational challenges in a wide variety of areas by matching them with skilled employees for 3-month volunteer projects, leveraging employees’ professional expertise while addressing nonprofit needs. 

Recently, the Allstate Fellows program, in partnership with Common Impact, identified a Fellow to work with Per Scholas on strategy and cross-functional projects. Our Fellow, Gina Pell, conducted external research, created criteria for assessment and provided recommendations to help Per Scholas determine the conditions under which we would want to establish our own apprenticeship programs vs. partner with other nonprofits and/or companies to expand opportunities. The Allstate Fellows program ran from March through June and involved three phases of work centered around data collection, insights synthesis, and guidance for our path forward; and was ultimately an innovative way to get involved as one of our partners. 

In pairing Per Scholas with our Fellow, Allstate ensured that our Fellow had the necessary business skills needed to provide strong recommendations and had experience in business development, market research, business analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. 

“Our Fellow jumped in at a critical time when we needed to do a lot of learning very quickly,” remarked Alanna Hughes, Vice President of Innovation at Per Scholas. “She put in an immense amount of work to expand our knowledge and inform our decision-making, and leave us with materials we will continue to use. She was also so collaborative, committed to our mission, and receptive to guidance as she worked within a new subject area. We are truly grateful for the opportunity to work with her.”

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with The Allstate Foundation and their skills-based volunteerism with Per Scholas and look forward to the implementation of our apprenticeship program planning recommendations from our Fellow. To get in touch with us for volunteer opportunities, email Miguelina Manriquez.

Diverse by Design, in partnership with ITSMF, TEKsystems, and Per Scholas Chicago, hosted an intimate event focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) at Cara Chicago. The event had a keynote discussion with Nikki Lanier, Founder and CEO of Harper Slade, featured the documentary The Road Up and a discussion led by Co-Director Greg Jacobs and held two-panel discussions about DEI&B efforts regarding diverse talent.

The Diverse by Design Chicago event was led by Damien Howard, Diverse by Design Co-Founder, and Per Scholas Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer. Here, Damien interacted with our esteemed guests to dive deeper into DEI&B challenges and solutions. In the keynote discussion with Nikki Lanier, Damien discussed corporate racial equity and engaging and retaining diverse talent through employee engagement. “The workplace is tremendously powerful in that it can be the source of such joy and replenishment, but it could also be the source of ammunition, muting, and stunting that doesn’t just contribute to how we work, but how we feel about ourselves,” Nikki reflected. “In my HR life, I was always really interested in employee engagement, but there are circumstances that give rise to really rich and meaningful employee engagement experiences, such as do we feel as though we are affirmed and valued and appreciated because of who we are, and not in spite of it.”

Following Nikki Lanier’s fireside chat, Greg Jacobs discussed his powerful documentary, The Road Up, which follows four participants in Cara, a Chicago-based job-training program. The film chronicles their search for stable employment and a pathway out of poverty. He then discussed the making of the film and its impact in the Chicago community. “[Cara] is an amazing place and we were so excited by the work that they do and so excited by the potential of everything that’s happening here that we wanted to tell the story,” Greg discussed. “We wanted to be part of the story to tell, and so as filmmakers, we got to be part of the story.”

Greg Jacobs then joined Jesse Teverbaugh, Cara Collective Director of Student & Alumni Affairs featured in The Road Up and Nikki Lanier for our first panel discussion, The Power of Alternative Skills Training, moderated by Damien Howard. 

Franklin Reed, Executive Director, Global Inclusion, Diversity and Equity at TEKsystems, and Diverse by Design Chair, introduced our second panel with insightful remarks regarding retaining top diverse talent and how the industry is moving towards attracting diverse talent to succeed in their roles.  “For decades, we have dictated where and how we attract and engage talent. That model used to work, and now we can either cooperate with this shift, or we can continue to resist it only to find ourselves on the outside looking in,” Franklin remarked. “However, now we are forced to invest in and engage talent pools that have been marginalized, underestimated, and on the lopsided distribution of opportunity.” 

The second panel discussion, Attraction Strategies and Talent Pipelines, was moderated by Nikki Lanier and featured panelists and Diverse by Design Board members Julie Dillman, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group; Senior Executive, Operations and Technology; and Digital Transformation Officer, Tina Simmons, SVP of Human Resources at Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Maria Medrano, Sr. Director, Diversity Partnerships & External Engagement at Google. Here, this strong all-female panel covered topics on retaining diverse talent through meaningful engagement, attracting diverse talent for a multitude of perspectives, and creating corporate equity vs. equality. 

Additionally, we heard from Cara Plus Director of Expansion Strategy Liana Bran, who gave us information about Cara Chicago and their initiatives as a training program in Chicago. Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala closed out the event with remarks to challenge everyone in their diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and his experience in doing so at Per Scholas. 

We are excited for our future Diverse by Design events and are thrilled about the important and enriching conversations held in Chicago that will challenge corporate DEI&B efforts. 

Watch the full event here!