Per Scholas Partners with Liquid Technology for #GivingTuesday Donation Drive

Champion partner Liquid Technology will match up to $10,000 on #GivingTuesday, allowing the tech training nonprofit to provide much-needed technical support to remote learners

New York, NY – December 1, 2020 – Today, national tech training nonprofit Per Scholas announced that its Champion Partner, Liquid Technology, will be matching all donations to the organization on #GivingTuesday, up to $10,000. Every dollar donated to the nonprofit before midnight will go directly to Per Scholas’ 1,000 Careers Campaign, which is providing technology toolkits to Per Scholas learners who need additional support in light of remote training.

With millions of Americans still unemployed due to COVID-19, Per Scholas is working to provide skills training and economic opportunities to those most often excluded from good paying, high-growth technology careers – particularly women and BIPOC. The 1,000 Careers Campaign will ensure that Per Scholas learners have access to the equipment they need, including a laptop, webcam, headphones, Wi-Fi access, and Raspberry Pi microcomputer, to help them complete training and find meaningful employment.

“Now more than ever, it’s important that individuals seeking to invest in their futures have the tools and training they need to succeed,” said Per Scholas CEO Plinio Ayala. “Per Scholas was founded to provide technology and tech skills to the communities that need them the most, and this continued support from Liquid Technology will allow us to extend opportunities to even more deserving learners.”

“As a long time Per Scholas partner, we know how important their efforts are to providing economic opportunity for communities of color, having been hit disproportionately hard by the Covid-19 pandemic,” shared Richard Greene, Liquid Technology Managing Partner. “We are honored to participate in Per Scholas’ Giving Tuesday campaign by matching funds. Liquid Technology takes great pride in supporting Per Scholas and their initiatives.”

Through Per Scholas’s tuition-free tech training programs, more than 12,000 job-seekers across the U.S. have received the technology skills, career foundation, and financial coaching they need to be successful in today’s workforce. Approximately 85% of learners graduate in 15 weeks, and alumni earn, on average, three times their pre-training wage in their first job after graduation. 

To donate and your contribution matched on #GivingTuesday, visit PERSCHOLAS.ORG/1000CAREERS 

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 25 years. Through rigorous training, professional development and robust employer connections, we prepare individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. We partner with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting our graduates to new career opportunities with leading employers, from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 14 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 12,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, please visit perscholas.org.

About Liquid Technology

Liquid Technology is a full-service IT asset disposition company that offers a complete suite of services designed to help companies manage their hardware assets. These services include Brokering and Purchasing Excess IT Equipment, Auditable Data Destruction, Environmental Disposal of Electronic Waste and IT Asset Management. To learn more, please visit liquidtechnology.net.

Per Scholas Customized Training will put students in direct hiring pipelines with major technology employers

February 4, 2020 – Platform by Per Scholas has officially rebranded as Per Scholas Customized Training – a revamped social venture that will strengthen the nonprofit’s mission of preparing unemployed and underemployed workers for successful careers in IT and technology. Originally launched in June 2017, Per Scholas Customized Training offers customizable training tracks that are designed for nuanced job and skill specifications, with direct hiring opportunities for students at the end of their training.

In addition to existing courses in Data Engineering, Application Development, SOC Analyst and Network Support, among many others, Per Scholas Customized Training will work hand in hand with businesses and Fortune 500 companies to train and place talent where it is needed the most.

“Technology has transformed the way we work and do business and its also accelerating and changing at a record pace,” said Plinio Ayala, President of Per Scholas. “Per Scholas Customized Training was introduced to help elevate the skills of technology professionals and connect motivated talent with cutting edge technology employers. As our core business continues to expand, this rebrand will allow us to grow in parallel and build lasting partnerships with employers. We look forward to the growth we’ll see this year as a result of Per Scholas Customized Training.”

To learn more about Per Scholas Customized Training, visit https://perscholas.org/partner#customize.

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About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as technology professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today, we provide our solutions in twelve cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Greater Boston, MA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; the National Capital Region; Newark, NJ; New York, NY and Philadelphia, PA. To date, Per Scholas has trained more than 10,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing skills and careers in technology. To learn more, please visit https://perscholas.org/.

Contact: Olivia Buffington (olivia.buffington@berlinrosen.com, 646-680-0907)

*** MEDIA ADVISORY FOR JULY 22nd***

Per Scholas and TEKsystems Announce Open Enrollment for the Launch of Network Support Training Track in Philadelphia

The joint partnership will provide free skills training, career development, and job placement services to Philadelphia residents from overlooked communities.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Per Scholas has officially opened enrollment for its new technology training curriculum in Philadelphia, in conjunction with full-stack technology services provider TEKsystems. The Network Support training program offers the CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications and equips students with the skills needed to fill a wide range of entry-level technology jobs as a support technician. Applications are now being accepted for the tuition-free 15-week program, which will be taught at 3675 Market Street in the Cambridge Innovation Center.

This announcement is the latest joint effort by Per Scholas and TEKsystems to develop a strong and diverse talent pipeline for emerging U.S. tech hubs. The custom training partnership will initially connect at least 540 motivated and talented individuals in Philadelphia, Boston and Detroit, with the critical skills employers are demanding across each market.

A hiring and training partner since 2015, TEKsystems has hired more than 400 Per Scholas graduates, including a significant number in network support positions. Bringing this partnership to scale will ensure that future career opportunities are accessible by all communities and that equity is a primary consideration as regional and national economies develop.

Successful graduates will have the opportunity to partner with TEKsystems recruiters in each city and be given access to the full suite of graduate services Per Scholas provides with two years of alumni follow-up and support. Each training track will provide practical, hands-on training to participants, along with long-term career guidance and placement support. Skills-based training tracks will be determined from the demand in each local market and may include skills relevant to IT, cyber security, software engineering and data engineering among others.

Per Scholas graduates increase their income by an average of 400 percent upon completing the program and have access to hiring opportunities offered by corporate partners. Individuals interested in the training opportunity should direct applications to www.platformbyps.org/philly/network-support.

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About TEKsystems®

We’re partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That’s the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as technology professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in eight cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Boston, MA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; Newark, NJ and New York, NY. To date, Per Scholas has trained 9,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing skills and careers in technology.

Per Scholas graduates can earn placement into a two-year training program with Bank of America

June 4, 2019 – National tech training non-profit Per Scholas and Bank of America today announced that the bank will hire 10 Per Scholas graduates into its “Technology Pathway Program” over the next two years. The bank will also provide ongoing training, mentorship and coaching to Per Scholas students as part of this new relationship.

The inaugural class of participants are graduates of Per Scholas’ Codebridge, Cybersecurity and IT Support training programs.

“We are proud to count Bank of America as one of our earliest supporters,” said Kelly Richardson, Managing Director of Per Scholas’s Newark and New York locations. “With this new partnership, we’ll be able to continue to provide sustainable career pathways for our graduates into rewarding roles at one of the nation’s leading financial institutions.”

“Without Per Scholas, I never would have had the opportunity to learn the tech skills needed for a career in the financial industry,” said MIlitsa Neykova, a Per Scholas graduate currently participating in the Technology Pathway Program with Bank of America. “I’m excited to not only continue my education at Bank of America, but to be able to build my career at such an illustrious company.”

Per Scholas works with a number of blue chip companies to train and source talent from nontraditional backgrounds. Per Scholas students go through a comprehensive admissions process, technical instruction, career coaching and two years of alumni follow-up and placement support. Per Scholas provides opportunities for motivated individuals from diverse and overlooked communities the opportunity to succeed in growing tech careers.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as technology professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in eight cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Boston, MA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; Newark, NJ and New York, NY. To date, Per Scholas has trained 10,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing skills and careers in technology.

May 23, 2019, New York, NY – Per Scholas is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its National Board of Directors: Dwayne Brown, consulting manager at Accenture, and Tino Mathew, Director of NA Sales Engineering at EnterpriseDB. Their selection follows several years of voluntary regional leadership as the respective chairs of the Per Scholas National Capital Region (NCR) Advisory Board and the Per Scholas Dallas Advisory Board. As members of the National Advisory Board, Brown and Mathew will provide strategic guidance and support to help advance the organization’s mission to expand access to cost-free skills training and career development services for low-income communities.

Dwayne Brown has more than 15 years of experience in operational risk management, accounting operations, and Intelligent Automation (IA), and currently serves as a consulting manager in Accenture’s Finance & Risk Services practice. He holds a BA in Accounting and Public Relations from SUNY Geneseo and a MBA from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. He earned a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from the Shenandoah University School of Education & Leadership, focusing on ways to provide financial services to unbanked populations. Dwayne is on the board of directors for the DC Coalition for the Homeless and serves as an active member of 100 Black Men of America.

Tino Mathew is a proven leader in software and services industries, with nearly two decades worth of experience helping organizations adapt to the ever-changing climate of Information Technology (IT). As a thought leader in robotic process automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and an avid blockchain enthusiast, he is developing digital-age business models that will usher in the future of IT for businesses around the globe, with a focus on solving some of the most critical organizational problems faced today.

“Following their enormous contributions to our local advisory boards, we are thrilled to add Tino and Dwayne to our National Board of Directors,” said Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas. “Our goal of diversifying the technology workforce starts from within, and our board is representative of that commitment. With this new layer of experience and added expertise, Per Scholas is in a position to continue to lead the charge for more impactful workforce development.”

For twenty-four years, Per Scholas has collaborated closely with employers, government agencies, philanthropies, and non-profit organizations to provide motivated individuals with the technical and business skills needed to be successful in the rapidly growing technology industry. In January, Per Scholas announced a $31 million-dollar growth capital campaign which will help the non-profit secure the additional philanthropic investments it needs to expand its programming. By 2023, the company aims to train 4,000 new technology career students a year and inject into the economy through multiple new training locations.

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About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious adults who are unemployed or underemployed for successful careers as technology professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Today we provide our solutions in eight cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Boston, MA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; Newark, NJ and New York, NY. To date, Per Scholas has trained nearly 10,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing skills and careers in technology.