Per Scholas — a national tech-training nonprofit headquartered in New York City — has officially expanded into Houston’s Ion District as a workforce development partner.
The nonprofit will offer tuition-free technology skill training. Courses will begin in October at the Ion building, at 4201 Main St. According to the Ion, Per Scholas will offer its Information Technology Support Course, which is intended for those who have no previous technology work experience or coursework.
“Per Scholas commends the vision and commitment of the city of Houston, Ion, Rice University, and so many others, to catalyze change, grow ideas and innovation, and drive impact,” Plinio Ayala, president and CEO of Per Scholas, said in a statement. “We are thrilled that Per Scholas Houston is now part of the effort.”
Those who complete the course will have the opportunity to earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the CompTIA A+ certification — the preferred certification for technical support and IT operational roles, according to the Ion. Upon completion, the certificates will allow individuals to fill a wide range of entry-level technology jobs, the Ion said.
Along with its 12- to 15-week tech skills training, Per Scholas also helps connect its graduates to high-growth careers in technology, with graduates being hired by more than 850 employer partners nationwide, the Ion said.
Per Scholas has an 85% graduation rate, and over 80% of those graduates find full-time employment within one year of graduating, its website says. In their first job following graduation, Per Scholas graduates usually go on to earn three times their pre-training wage, according to the Ion.
“This investment will expand non-traditional learning opportunities for local Houstonians looking to develop new skills in our dynamic economy,” Jan Odegard, executive director of the Ion, said in a statement.
Odegard said the partnership is part of the city of Houston’s $15.3 million community benefits agreement with Rice Management Co., the entity behind the Ion District.
The agreement required the Ion to issue a request for proposal for a tech workforce training provider, Sam Dike, investment manager with Rice University, told the Houston Business Journal in May. Per Scholas was one of 18 organizations that responded to the RFP.
“One of the most important criteria for us was making sure that the firm that was ultimately selected would be a firm that had a long track record of training individuals to industry-aligned fields — and, more importantly, had a long track record of actually placing those individuals into good-paying jobs,” Dike said.
He said he believes Per Scholas is going to be integral in helping the Ion fill any gaps that are currently in Houston’s economy in terms of connecting talent to industry. According to the Ion, an $8 net economic return is seen for every dollar invested in Per Scholas.
The expansion into Houston marks Per Scholas' second Texas campus. Its first campus opened in Dallas in 2014, and the nonprofit expanded its presence in North Texas with its move into downtown Dallas in 2018.
Per Scholas Houston is supported by BlackRock and Comcast NBCUniversal. Applications for the course are now open. Those who are interested can find out more here.
