A Record of Success in Training High-Tech Workers

 

"Training programs that successfully prepare underemployed men and women for cutting-edge tech careers are exceedingly rare. The work force development organization known as Per Scholas has been doing exactly that for nearly 30 years — free of charge to the men and women whose lives have been transformed by its programs. This record of success makes Per Scholas more than worthy of your support.

The program started out in the South Bronx in 1995, teaching young people to refurbish computers for distribution to local schools. The organization has since become a national work force training provider with locations in 24 cities, preparing workers for careers in information technology, cloud computing, software engineering and cybersecurity. Learners who participate can expect 30 to 40 hours of class work per week and three hours a day of post-class studying for 12 to 15 weeks.

Per Scholas works closely with leading tech employers on matters of curriculum, ensuring that its students have in-demand skills when they graduate. One of those employers is Barclays Bank, which has partnered with the program for more than a decade and has hired almost 70 graduates. Barclays helped with a cybersecurity curriculum and worked with Per Scholas to launch campuses in Brooklyn and Newark.

In addition to giving students up-to-the-minute job skills, Per Scholas provides financial coaching and career development. It covers tuition, materials and the cost of certifications where applicable, and has trained more than 25,000 people; 85 percent of them are people of color and 40 percent are women. Most students have no degrees beyond a high school diploma.

A rigorous analysis by the research organization MDRC found that many students who completed the training earned considerably more than those who did not receive the training. By 2020, the economic benefits that flowed from Per Scholas training — including wages, taxes paid and reduced dependence on the social safety net — totaled an estimated 800 percent of the training costs.

Per Scholas says that none of its learners have ever paid for any aspect of training. Support from donors make that possible: Twenty-five dollars contributes to travel expenses for learners who need help reaching campus, $100 pays for one textbook and $700 covers the supplies a learner needs to complete an information technology support course. Twelve hundred dollars underwrites financial counseling for 10 learners throughout a 12-to-15-week course and $2,500 provides comprehensive learning support for 10 learners. Contributing to the The New York Times Communities Fund, which has supported Per Scholas since 2023, helps ensure that this policy continues." [1]

1. A Record of Success in Training High-Tech Workers: The Editorial Board. New York Times (Online) New York Times Company. Dec 25, 2024.