Earlier this spring, Per Scholas received $50,000 from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation for our Per Scholas Alumni Upskilling program, which provides continued support to our alumni after they leave Per Scholas. Focuses of the program include  access to career and financial counseling, upskilling courses, and more. 

This funding was part of a commitment by Citizen Bank’s Citizens Charitable Foundation and Citizens Philanthropic Foundation to grant $350,000 to support technical training and career counseling in the state of New Jersey. Other funding recipients included Greater Newark LISC, Urban League of Essex County, and Year Up New Jersey.

Jessica Zorola, Per Scholas Newark’s Managing Director, was interviewed by NJ Tech Weekly about Per Scholas’ participation in this grant program. “As a result of the investment from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation, Per Scholas is going to be able to grow our alumni upskilling offerings for individuals here in Newark and the surrounding New York City metro area,” Jessica said. “People who have graduated from Per Scholas want the opportunity to move around in the tech industry, and to qualify to move up the ranks. If you think about careers in tech, they are constantly changing and evolving, so learners need to acquire more industry-recognized certifications, building a little bit more of that skill set to build careers over time.”

Jessica also emphasized the importance of grants like this in helping Per Scholas and other similarly-focused organizations promote equity in tech employment in New Jersey. In an industry that is predominantly white and male, it is important to increase opportunities for female and minority learners to thrive. “When I talk with our learners and alumni, I’m very open and honest about addressing the challenges of this lack of representation,” Jessica told NJ Tech Weekly. “You know, only 4 percent of technologists nationwide identify as women of color like myself.  So, when I have my learners in the classroom and hear their stories, it can feel very impactful and powerful because they are bringing in that representation that is missing in tech.”

Read the full news article here!

On May 25th, Red Nose Day returns for its 9th official year, and Per Scholas is excited and honored to have been selected as one of this year’s grantee partners! Red Nose Day is an annual fundraising event held by Comic Relief US that seeks to raise life-changing funds to help end the cycle of poverty and ensure children are safe, healthy, educated, and empowered across the U.S. and around the world.

Since 2015, the campaign has taken a multifaceted approach to tackling both the consequences and root causes of child poverty, focusing on the four pillars of health, safety, education and empowerment. In addition to trying to remove systemic barriers, Red Nose Day-funded programs also strive to provide long-term solutions that set children up for a lifetime of success.

As such, Red Nose Day funds transformative programs from 50 trailblazing organizations, large and small, in the U.S. and globally, that exhibit “expertise in implementing community-led solutions to ensure that all children thrive and have access to a healthy future.” 

Per Scholas was one of the 50 organizations selected this year, recognized for its work in using the power of education to transform lives, empower communities, and end cycles of poverty. Per Scholas helps prepare our learners, many of whom are youth or have children, to launch life-changing careers in technology by participating in our rigorous, cost-free tech skills training.

One such learner who launched a thriving career through Per Scholas training is Jadah Stone, a young New Yorker who was always interested in tech but, upon graduating high school, was not sure how to get started in the field. “I had a broad idea of what IT was, and I had a broad idea of what tech was,” Jadah said of herself at the time. “I knew that I wanted to do it, but I wasn’t really sure how to break into the field and how to really solidify myself academically. Per Scholas was instrumental in providing that structure and a clear path… it was also really motivational in helping me stay on track because they gave me a way to envision what my life could be like after all the hard work paid off.” 

After graduating, Jadah successfully launched her career in tech, working first in Application Support at Mitchell Martin, then as an IT Support Specialist at Casper alongside a few other Per Scholas alumni. She now works as a Systems Engineer at Sachs Cloud Services, a position she greatly enjoys.

Jadah loves her work and plans to continue learning and growing within the tech field for the rest of her life. “I want to say thank you to Per Scholas for helping me to solidify the foundations of becoming a person who is able to be successful in the tech world,” Jadah said. “And thank you to Per Scholas for providing really amazing resources for people that might not have otherwise been able to have an opportunity like this.”

Last year’s Red Nose Day had a record-breaking year, raising over $50 million. “This year, Comic Relief US is building on the momentum of our most successful fundraising year ever in 2022 by broadening our transformative community of grantee partners and increasing funding for programs addressing ongoing social inequities,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. “It’s an honor to help these organizations become even bigger changemakers in the lives of the children and young people they serve in the communities most impacted, and we are so grateful for our partners and the millions of people who support Red Nose Day, allowing us to invest in organizations and social impact programs that help build healthy lives and futures that all children deserve.”

Supporters can buy the campaign’s signature Red Nose exclusively at nearly 9,000 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations for just $1 each and can also donate in stores via pin-pad at checkout. Donning the red nose is a great way to celebrate the campaign’s annual tradition, and 100% of proceeds directly benefit Red Nose Day, helping to make a real difference in the lives of underserved children in America and around the world. 

This month, Per Scholas Executive Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Culture Ken Walker moderated an innovative and important panel for the City & State NY 2023 Diversity Summit. The summit featured conversations and panels centered around diversity in New York with local government and business leaders.

The panel, Emerging DEI Practices in New York, highlighted ways  New York is working harder than ever to implement inclusive hiring practices and DEI frameworks to make sure that all environments are diverse. Panelists included Wendy Garcia, Deputy Commissioner, Equity and Inclusion, New York City Police Department; Sadye L. Campoamor, Chief Equity Officer, Office of NYC Comptroller Brad Lander; May Boucherak, Principal, KPMG; Larry Scott Blackmon, Vice President, Fresh Direct; and Kwame Cooper, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Fire Department Of New York. 

Check out the full list of speakers and panel discussions here!

Per Scholas is thrilled to announce that we have received Tenth Revolution’s Digital Revolution Award for Excellence in Learning and Development! The Digital Revolution Awards was founded in 2020 to applaud excellence across the global cloud tech ecosystem, and we are proud to join past recipients to drive excellence in learning and development in the tech industry.

We are honored to be among the recipients of the various categories for the Digital Revolution Awards and are grateful for our partnerships that encourage our growth and trainings’ development.

Read more about the awards and winners here!

Per Scholas is proud to announce a new partnership with Indeed for their new product, Skill Connect, to help job seekers without college degrees better promote their skills and completed training programs to potential employers.

“Skill Connect is a powerful tool, blazing the path for individuals to be evaluated based on their ability to excel with their skills, instead of relying on proxies for preparedness,” Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala reflected. “Per Scholas is proud to partner with Indeed on this innovative experience and looks forward to seeing positive impact among job seekers and companies alike.”

Read the full press release for this innovative tool here.

The battle between credentials and skills can be navigated through Indeed’s latest blog, which highlights overcoming barriers in the job application process.

We are thrilled to announce that Per Scholas was awarded funding from Comcast Corporation for creating a more inclusive workforce and economy! Per Scholas is one of nine recipients awarded from the over $25 million grant.

“We can only successfully change the face of tech – and strengthen the future of our economy – if we successfully find ways to help every worker unlock his or her potential,” said Per Scholas President & CEO. “Comcast recognizes how critical this mission is, and by working together, we can create the opportunities that empower job seekers to become what they envision, to realize their every possibility, and succeed in the workforce of today – and tomorrow.”

Comcast’s funding will empower more than 10,000 adult learners to launch tech careers over the next three years, unlocking their potential as technologists.

Read the full press release here.

In April, Apex Systems volunteered their time with Per Scholas Alumni nationwide for a virtual volunteer event. The hour-long event was led by Kaitlin Westbrook Tolson, National STEM advocate of Apex Systems, and included a presentation on how to work with technical recruiters. More than 40 alumni and volunteers attended in total to increase professional experience in the tech industry with technology professionals and was an exceptional opportunity for alumni to network and gain industry insight. 

Corporate engagement events such as this volunteer opportunity with Apex Systems are a great way to partner with Per Scholas and unlock potential in our learners. To learn more about how you can volunteer with us or host a corporate engagement event, please reach out to Per Scholas Director of Corporate Engagement Miguelina Manriquez at [email protected].

Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology services, and digital transformation, has partnered with Per Scholas to unlock potential in our learners and alumni. In addition to hiring many of our alumni for their internship program, Capgemini works closely with Per Scholas learners through corporate engagement events including mock interviews and panel discussions. 

This March, Capgemini participated in two mock interview sessions and one panel for Women’s History Month, all hosted virtually for Per Scholas learners. As corporate volunteers, Capgemini participants play a critical role in Per Scholas’ training by helping aspiring technologists improve their communication skills, learn about key technical content, and better understand varied corporate cultures.

During the Women’s History Month panel, Capgemini leaders discussed women in tech and the importance of diversifying a typically male-dominated industry to include more women. Panelists included Shikha Thakare, Portfolio Manager, FS BCM; Lakisha Burke, Director, Invent BCM; Ann-Marie Birns, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley; Charisma Glassman, Senior Director, FS BCM; and Sonia Soni, Global Account Executive for Morgan Stanley. The virtual event welcomed more than 40 participants, including 30 Per Scholas learners, who listened to the panel and went into interactive breakout rooms for further discussion.

Per Scholas is grateful for the time volunteers and panelists have given to our learners and alumni. The advice and insight given greatly impact the learner perspective. Through this interaction, our learners are able to learn more about a corporate environment and gain valuable practice speaking with industry professionals.

Per Scholas Greater Boston Managing Director H. Kay Howard was interviewed by the Boston chapter of GreenLight Fund, a national nonprofit that helps open opportunities for children, youth, and families experiencing poverty through community engagement and investment. 

GreenLight Fund Boston invested in Per Scholas in 2019 to provide alternative pathways to meaningful, high-paying careers. Per Scholas Greater Boston’s former Managing Director, Robin Nadeau, helped launch, grow, and develop Per Scholas Greater Boston before accepting a new role as Regional Senior Vice President. H. Kay Howard has now taken on the position of Managing Director, and we are excited for all she will bring to the organization as our Greater Boston campus continues to grow!

Read H. Kay Howard’s full interview here, in which she discusses her background, how she came to Per Scholas, the ways in which she exemplifies our organization’s values, and her plans for the campus’ future growth and development.

Last week, Per Scholas Seattle launched its very first in-person cohort! Noting the high, organic demand for web development and programming courses in the Seattle area, the campus decided to offer Software Engineering as its first in-person course. 

The course, which is still currently offered online, will prepare learners for a career in the technology industry as “an adept developer with a ready-to-present professional portfolio to share with potential employers,” and will cover areas of Web Development, App Development, and many more.

“Many of our learners have very little training in coding,” said Per Scholas Seattle’s Managing Director, Brian McRae. “Most of them know the basics such as HTML and CSS. Our curriculum will expand their knowledge of front-end frameworks and introduce them to back-end frameworks such as Mongoose, Express.js, Node.js, REACT and more. With both individual and group projects in the curriculum, our learners will build very substantial technical portfolios to demonstrate their job ready competencies to prospective employers.”  

Seattle’s first person cohort is an incredibly diverse one. Of the 17 registered learners, 29% identify as female, and 82% are people of color. Of the learners who identify as Caucasian, all are immigrants from either Russia or Ukraine, and others in the course hail from Morocco and Ethiopia. 35% of the learners possess only a high school diploma or GED, while the remaining 65% have earned more advanced degrees. The average learner age is 30.

The Seattle campus held its Kick-Off for the first in-person class at its new site on March 27th. We are so excited to see how the cohort progresses!

“I am absolutely thrilled that Per Scholas Seattle is finally at the point where we can offer our classes in-person,” McRae reflected on the campus’ opening. “This is a significant milestone for us. When we first began offering classes here in the Puget Sound area, we were limited to only remote classes mainly due to the pandemic. Now that things have begun to open back up, we can now focus on our traditional model of on-premise training, enabling our learners to experience this curriculum the way it was originally designed.  

“These 17 learners, while coming from very diverse populations, have already begun to develop cohesive, productive relationships with one another. They help each other grow and develop, and each leverages their strengths to collectively uplift each other together. It’s remarkable to see this level of camaraderie at such an early stage – so much so that I cannot wait to see the end result.”