Salesforce Accelerator selected six nonprofits for their philanthropic initiative to help purpose-driven organizations gain equitable access to trusted generative AI technologies. Per Scholas was selected as one of the nonprofits that The Accelerator will distribute a $2 million pool to in order to advance equitable use of trusted generative AI, participate in a customized program that includes six months of intensive coaching from Salesforce experts and pro bono volunteers, along with 1-on-1 consulting access for 12 months to provide guidance on topics ranging from generative AI, product design, and solution architecture, and gain access to a 24-month contract for donated Salesforce products to support the development of their proposed AI-driven initiatives.

Check out the full press release here.

Per Scholas North Carolina’s training and $1 million grant from Truist Foundation was featured on WBTV’s news program. Dedrick Russell, Executive Producer for Community Content at WBTV spoke with Jeff Jones, Per Scholas North Carolina alumni, and Kim Gomme, current learner, to get their insight and experience with their training.

The campus’s Managing Director Mike Terrell discussed the impact of the $1 million grant in expanding to rural communities and how having a diverse workforce is necessary for the industry.

Watch the full feature here and read more about the segment here.

On Thursday, August 10, Per Scholas Columbus Managing Director Jenn Fowler Howard attended CIO Tomorrow’s conference, Next/Gen – Leveling Up the Next Generation of IT, and spoke during a breakout session – Building Next Gen Talent Pipeline. The conference was held in Columbus and featured keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and innovative live sessions to re-think the limiting approach to sourcing talent and proactively shore-up the perceived skills gap by tapping into untapped talent. 

As a panelist on the Building Next Gen Talent Pipelines breakout discussion, Jenn Fowler Howard underscored the importance of alternative talent pipelines and the skills of Per Scholas alumni as technologists. The panel focused on building future tech talent, growing organization-wide digital fluency, and deliberately curating culture and belonging to enhance organizations’ talent pipelines. In this session, panelists discussed the next steps leaders need to take to harness the power of their people and technology, while growing the culture needed to achieve their future vision. Joining Jenn Fowler Howard as panelists were Geoff Bauer, Supervisor, IT Flexible Apprenticeship at Columbus State Community College; Anand Sekaran, Associate Director at Accenture; and moderator Allison Shock, Managing Director – Banking Future of Work Lead at Accenture.

During her remarks, Jenn Fowler Howard reflected on the ways alternative, non-traditional talent pipelines can enhance innovation within today’s IT industry, stating, “I’d love to begin to evolve our language so it’s empowered. To me, the definition of a non-traditional talent pipeline are individuals with different journeys. They’re stars – skilled through alternate routes – at a proven, evidence-based training program like Per Scholas Columbus, through military service, on the job experience…Diversity of thought drives innovation, better collaboration, and better results for individuals, families, communities, companies, and our local economies.”

Learn more about the CIO Tomorrow Next/Gen – Leveling Up the Next Generation of IT conference here.

Per Scholas was humbled to welcome Jim Shelton, President & Chief Investment and Impact Officer at Blue Meridian Partners to deliver the commencement address for a recent IT Support Graduation at Per Scholas New York!

Nineteen tenacious, talented individuals walked into our flagship Bronx campus as Per Scholas learners, and left as Per Scholas technologists, including Cohort Valedictorian Victor Garcia and Core Values Winners Erick Smith (Ambition); Chris Hernandez (Integrity); Stephany Mensah (Professionalism); Ariel Rodriguez (Resourcefulness); Eboni Coleman (Perseverance) and Ciara Valentin (Commitment to Service)

During his Commencement Address, Jim Shelton shared 5 Questions that Matter When Doing Something Great, giving all attendees lots of principles and tenants to keep at the core. Many Per Scholas New York and National team colleagues were on-hand to join in the celebration, including President and CEO Plinio Ayala and Chief Development Officer Caitlyn Brazill.

On August 18th, Per Scholas St. Louis celebrated its largest graduation yet as 21 learners graduated from the most recent IT Support course. The cohort was incredibly diverse, ranging in age from 19 to 50 years old, included  11 men and 10 women, several of whom were parents. The graduating technologists originated from a variety of professional backgrounds, including retail, warehouse work, and finance, but all are now fully prepped to launch high-growth careers in tech.

Hosted by Deputy Chief Training Officer Noah Mitchell, graduates in attendance heard from our community partner, Tydrell Stevens, Regional Director of Save Our Sons, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, who congratulated the new graduates and spoke about our organizations’ joint missions. 

Attendees also heard from the selected class speaker, Kristina Henderson, before receiving their certificates, officially graduating from the IT Support program. Next followed the presentation of the Core Value Honors. At every graduation, honors are bestowed to graduates who exemplify our core values of Ambition, Integrity, Professionalism, Resourcefulness, Perseverance, and Commitment to Service. The awards for the graduating St. Louis IT Support cohort were as follows:

• Ambition – Allen Morgan
• Integrity – Srilatha Ramakrishna
• Professionalism – Isaiah Word
• Resourcefulness – Brian Green II
• Perseverance – Myiesha McCray
• Commitment to Service – Karen Taylor

The Keynote Address was presented by Sam Fiorello, President & CEO of Cortex Innovation Community. Cortex Innovation Community graciously welcomed Per Scholas St. Louis as it technical skills trainer of choice to ensure a more equitable and inclusive St. Louis. 

Finally, the event featured a special message from Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala. Plinio congratulated the graduates on their incredible accomplishment, encouraging Per Scholas alumni to always continue learning and growing, and wished them luck as they embarked on their newfound careers in the tech industry. Watch Plinio’s video message here. 

Learn more about upcoming training opportunities at Per Scholas St. Louis and apply by visiting https://perscholas.org/locations/st-louis/. 

As part of Per Scholas’ mission to promote equitable access to education, Per Scholas North Carolina has partnered with Truist Foundation, an organization committed to building career pathways to economic mobility and strengthening small businesses. The partnership will allow us to expand our training to rural communities across North Carolina. This month, Truist Foundation awarded Per Scholas with a $1 million grant, and our organizations held a joint event focused on professional development. 

Truist Foundation Grant Reception

On August 10th, Truist Foundation announced that it would be committing $2 million to promote economic mobility through technology-oriented training initiatives in communities across North Carolina. Per Scholas received $1 million from this initiative, with the other $1 million going to tech training nonprofit NPower. 

This generous grant will be used to double the size of Per Scholas North Carolina’s existing training program, allowing us to increase access and opportunity for high-growth careers in tech to learners across North Carolina. Per Scholas will be growing its partnership with Wilkes Community College to provide tech skills, professional development, and coaching to learners in Western North Carolina, outside of Charlotte city limits, and offer remote training programs to learners in rural areas of the state.

Per Scholas Chief Development Officer Caitlyn Brazill attended the remarkable event. Also in attendance were Heath Campbell –Regional President of Metrolina, Truist Financial Corporation; Bill Rogers – Chairman and CEO, Truist Financial Corporation; Erskine Bowles – Co-Founder, Housing Impact Fund; George Dunlap – Chairman of the Board, Mecklenburg County Commission; Keitt King – Head of Truist Community Capital; and Bertina Ceccarelli – CEO, NPower.

Lynette Bell – President, Truist Foundation, moderated a panel with Mike Terrell – Managing Director, Per Scholas North Carolina; Adelaide Martin – Operations & Impact Manager, Ascent Housing; and Ray Trapp – Executive Director, NPower North Carolina.

“Per Scholas is grateful for this tremendous investment into Per Scholas North Carolina from Charlotte-based Truist Foundation, helping to increase pathways to economic mobility for North Carolinians,” said Mike Terrell, managing director of Per Scholas North Carolina. “We know the transformative impact a career in technology can have on individuals, and increasing access and opportunity is key…We’re very humbled by Truist Foundation’s grant, which will help us unlock potential for even more aspiring rural technologists, in turn building stronger communities, companies, and economies.” 

Per Scholas North Carolina Truist Volunteer Event

Per Scholas North Carolina and Truist Foundation held a joint event on August 10th, in which volunteers from Truist paired with Per Scholas North Carolina technologists, providing our technologists with the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and practice their growing professional development skills. 

20% of Per Scholas’ training curriculum centers on professional development and coaching, with emphasis on the essential skills of problem solving, collaboration, innovation, and leadership. Opportunities like these in which future tech professionals can meet and learn from established industry experts are priceless in fostering these skills and are a great way for technologists to begin building their professional networks. 

After the paired coaching sessions, Per Scholas North Carolina’s Manager of Strategic Partnerships Desiree Patterson led participants in a Talk Back session, in which everyone discussed what they had learned and reflected on how they would use what they had learned to grow going forward. 

The event, which was hosted by Per Scholas North Carolina Campus Director Dr. Jastacia Jones, also included remarks from Truist’s Chief Financial Officer,  Mike Maguire, who delivered the announcement of Truist’s $1 million grant to Per Scholas, and from Per Scholas North Carolina Managing Director Mike Terrell, who expressed Per Scholas’ sincere gratitude to Truist in supporting our joint mission, and thanked the participants of the event. 

Read more about Truist Foundation’s $1 million grant to Per Scholas here and here. 

Per Schoals Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer Damien Howard wrote his first piece for Forbes Councils, an invitation-only, professional organization where top CEOs and entrepreneurs are supported through connections, visibility, and growth. 

Damien highlights the recent shift in job trends. Employers are no longer looking for a 4-year degree to be qualified for a position. Now, alternatives such as a completion certificate from an evidence-based, proven skills-based training firm; an associate degree; military service; or on-the-job experience are becoming more acceptable – ultimately leading to a stronger economy and more successful businesses. Damien describes how America’s employers are key agents of change and suggests 3 ways that businesses can shift their approach and gain diverse talent.  

Read about his three tips here!

On July 20, Per Scholas Diverse by Design hosted our first-ever Unlocking Potential Summer Concert and Spoken Word Celebration. This hybrid event, produced live from Per Scholas New York and Per Scholas North Carolina and streamed at PerScholas.org/Concert, brought together Per Scholas staff, learners, alumni, partners, advisory board members, and more to rally around our mission to unlocking potential. 

This inspiring event featured talented musicians and poets who work, learn, and partner with Per Scholas, including:

• Deji Adefuye, Per Scholas Dallas Teaching Fellow, who premiered two original songs titled Persevere and You Believe In You
• Melodie Rodgers, Per Scholas Manager of Career Advancement, sharing her original poem, Unlock Your Potential 
• Zaidi Howard, Per Scholas Chicago Teaching Fellow, sharing his original poem, Soul Questions 
• Caprice Green, Per Scholas Detroit Alumna, performing Astonishing from Little Women 
• Mike Terrell, Per Scholas North Carolina Managing Director, performing Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule the World 
• Omoanatse McCarther, Per Scholas Diverse by Design Senior Director, sharing her original poem, Forged Key 
• Broadway Star Tim Connell, performing Corner of the Sky from Pippin
• Nonprofit Consultant and Leadership Coach Saundra Thomas, performing her original poem, Silver Linings

Hosted by Executive Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Culture Ken Walker, viewers had the opportunity to hear from our EVP of People Montreece Smith, Regional Senior Vice Presidents Noah Mitchell, Jaclyn Boyes, and Robin Nadeau, as well as President and CEO Plinio Ayala. Chief Development Officer Caitlyn Brazill delivered remarks live from the Bronx and introduced the final performances. 

Scores of Per Scholians came together for this exciting event; many thanks to Per Scholas Columbus, Per Scholas Dallas, Per Scholas New York Bronx, and Per Scholas North Carolina for hosting on-campus viewing parties.

In closing, the event showcased just a handful of our brilliant Per Scholas alumni, which you can watch here.  If you missed the Unlocking Potential Summer Concert and Spoken Word Celebration, you can watch the recording here! If you feel inspired and want to help unlock potential, please give at perscholas.org/donate.

On July 20, Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala joined visionary leaders for the JobsFirstNYC “Adapting to the Future of Work: Listen Up” conference, back in person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. The annual convening featured workforce development professionals, employers, educators, policymakers, and philanthropists coming together to discuss how to create an adaptive and inclusive workforce. 

Plinio shared his experience on a panel entitled, Adapting to the Future of Nonprofits, alongside Phoebe Boyer, President & CEO, Children’s Aid; Karen Ford, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services; Lisette Nieves, President, Fund For The City Of New York; Chymeka Olfonse, Managing Director, Robin Hood Foundation; and Jerome Walker, Associate Director of Partnerships, Year Up.

Throughout the panel, these nonprofit leaders explored the dynamic landscape of the nonprofit sector while lifting up emerging challenges and providing innovative solutions for the future. When asked about what the nonprofit sector needs to consider when cultivating partnerships as part of the future of work, Plinio discussed how partnerships are more valued now than ever before.

”Partnerships are no longer for the sake of partnership, but meaningful ones where everyone is winning and doing what they are good at,” Plinio shared. “Better alignment with the corporate sector requires robust dialogue with employers, partnerships that consider child care and stipends/loans for participating in programming, creating equity for all.”

Learn more about Adapting to the Future of Work and additional takeaways here!

On July 14th, Per Scholas Seattle hosted its first in-person graduation celebration, honoring the 16 technologists from their very first Software Engineering cohort. 

Per Scholas Seattle Managing Director Brian McRae welcomed graduates, alumni, colleagues, and partners and reflected on Per Scholas Seattle’s impact since launching in May 2021.  He also inspired our newest Per Scholas Seattle alumni to embrace their bright futures in tech. This cohort joins the more than 230 Per Scholas Seattle alumni trained in a variety of skills including IT Support, Software Engineering, Java Development, and Cybersecurity.  

“I couldn’t be more pleased with these graduates. From week one they exhibited such rare camaraderie and it was extremely exciting to watch them grow and develop throughout the program in such a collaborative way,” stated Brian McRae. “The graduation ceremony marked a very important milestone for Per Scholas Seattle.  Being our first one, we wanted to make it extra special by having it at the Seattle Jobs Initiative’s beautiful space which overlooks the Puget Sound, Olympic Mountains, and downtown Seattle.  It ended up being a wonderful, unforgettable day for this momentous occasion,” he reflected. 

The graduation ceremony consisted of remarks and reflections from distinguished guests and encouraging words from Mariama Suwaneh, M.A., Assistant Director of the Office of Equity and Human Rights for the City of Tacoma; Jae Taylor, Founder & CEO at Mentor Mesh; Community Partner Remarks from Kevin Bromer, Ballmer Group; and Per Scholas Chief Development Officer Caitlyn Brazill. 

Learn more about upcoming training opportunities at Per Scholas Seattle and apply by visiting PerScholas.org/Seattle.