Per Scholas
A nonprofit organization offering no-cost technical training and career support for people who aspire to join the tech industry in Columbus, Ohio, Per Scholas’ mission is to advance economic equity by bridging the gap between skilled talent and leading businesses.
By providing equitable access to tech education and employer networks, Per Scholas has helped more than 25,000 individuals launch successful tech careers, the majority of whom are people of color. To continually enhance the financial literacy and skills of its participants, Per Scholas, with the help of its Bread Financial grant, also offers wellness and wealth workshops throughout its curriculum and provides continuing education for alumni like Kalib Travis who, as a service desk technician, now earns nearly double what he did prior to the program.
It was overwhelming in terms of how much knowledge we had to take in,” said Travis. “But there was support the whole time, from my teachers, my classmates, professional development, and from Per Scholas as a whole. It was so well-organized and well-taught; it was awe-inspiring. And the amount of information and knowledge I gained throughout the program was not something I could have done on my own in just 15 weeks.
In 2023, Per Scholas enrolled 215 students, who had an average pre-training income of $17,670. After graduating with a 90% success rate, these students launched their tech careers with an average income of $45,000.