PerScholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that provides no-cost technology training to adults who are unemployed or underemployed, with a Greater Boston presence listed in Kendall Square. Courses cover IT support, cabling and fiber, data center operations, cybersecurity and data analytics, combining hands-on technical training with business skills and career coaching. Learners can be job-ready in three to four months and earn industry-recognized certifications, all without paying tuition.

Since 1995, the organization has worked on the idea that much of the nation’s talent is hidden in plain sight, creating on-ramps into tech careers for curious, motivated problem solvers. It operates in cities including Atlanta, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Newark, New York, Philadelphia and Greater Boston. Employers hire graduates as pre-vetted talent, and Per Scholas recently launched a data center critical infrastructure program co-designed with Microsoft.

What to Know

• Per Scholas has trained more than 35,000 professionals nationwide.
• More than 1,000 employers, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, partner with the organization.
• The organization reports an $8 economic return for every $1 invested.
• It has been named a beneficiary of The New York Times Communities Fund four years in a row.