A national nonprofit organization that provides tuition-free technology skills training, with a focus on educating individuals from underrepresented groups, has expanded to St. Louis.
The technology training organization, Per Scholas, has launched operations here through a partnership with the Cortex Innovation Community. It will provide its curriculum locally at Center for Emerging Technologies, located at 20 S. Sarah St. in the Cortex innovation district.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Bronx, New York, Per Scholas provides technology training at campuses in 18 U.S. cities and says it has educated more than 16,000 individuals. Per Scholas reported 2020 revenue of $25.2 million, primarily from contributions, according to its most recent IRS filing.
The nonprofit places a focus on training individuals that have historically been underrepresented in the technology field. Per Scholas says 85% of its students are people of color and more than one-third are women. It helps place its graduates into technology careers through its partnerships with more than 650 U.S. companies.
The Cortex Innovation Community’s pact with Per Scholas comes as the local organization has recently adopted a five-year strategic plan that calls for increasing the diversity of the workforce and forming training partnerships to train 1,250 individuals. It has set a benchmark of 70% of graduates from those training programs to be women and/or people of color.
“The St. Louis region has a large number of unfilled jobs, particularly in growing areas like cybersecurity; adding Per Scholas to the existing infrastructure of local training partners will strengthen the support necessary to employ under-skilled workers and fill these critical job openings in the St. Louis region,” said Sam Fiorello, president and CEO of the Cortex Innovation Community.
Per Scholas’ St. Louis operations are being led by Managing Director Charlie Mackey Jr. The nonprofit plans to launch its first course, focused on cybersecurity, in June. That training program is designed to train its students to become cybersecurity analysts.
Mackey said Per Scholas plans to accept about 20 students for the 15-week cybersecurity course that begins June 17, and applications are due by May 30. In fall 2022, Per Scholas plans to offer a course for IT support training it says prepares graduates for a “wide range of entry-level technology jobs.” Longer term, Mackey said Per Scholas hopes to train 100 to 150 individuals annually in St. Louis.
As it begins operations in St. Louis, Per Scholas plans to build out its roster of local employer partners and add to its team. Roles for which it is currently hiring in St. Louis include cybersecurity instructor, manager of career solutions, and manager of recruitment and admissions. It is also hiring for a senior manager of development for its Midwest markets.
