Expanding Access: Launching Satellite Tech Training in LA

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Applying a proven solution to a new issue or sector (using an existing model, tool, resource, strategy, etc. for a new purpose)

Per Scholas Los Angeles seeks funding to address the significant issue of unemployment in LA, where over 264,000 residents are without jobs. Our program bridges this gap by providing tuition-free training for tech jobs that offer competitive salaries with minimal education barriers. Since January 2023, over 2,000 residents have applied, with more than 850 attending admissions overviews. Over 159 learners have enrolled since our launch, 40% of those transition-age youth (18-29).
To connect with hundreds of new learners across the vast LA geography and provide high-quality training, coaching, and employment opportunities, we must dramatically increase the scale and efficiency of our satellite learning model. This model allows instructors to teach and engage with learners in multiple locations, eliminates onerous commutes, and makes our instruction accessible to those with childcare, employment, or other obligations while maintaining strong outcomes and driving down our per-learner cost.

Per Scholas Los Angeles provided remote training in our first year and a half. In Q3 2024, we will open our new DTLA campus in the same building as United Way and introduce in-person and satellite programming. Over the next two years, we will enroll 280 learners and support 80% of graduates in launching tech careers, generating $7.8 million in new wages. With support from LA2050, we will launch and test our satellite program model with Boyle Heights Technology YouthSource Center, refining the model and training at least 55 learners in IT Support via satellite programming through 2025. A Per Scholas technical instructor will teach two classes simultaneously, each with 15-24 learners. The instructor and one group of learners will be at our DTLA training site, equipped with technology for connected classroom learning or joining via a remote platform. The second classroom will be at the community partner’s site, enabling us to reach more communities with a trusted local partner. Learners will attend classes in person from 9 am to 4 pm every weekday, practice new skills on dedicated equipment, access individualized services (including professional development training, support, and job placement services) from on-site staff members, and collaborate on group projects. Additionally, we will staff the partner site with a Teaching Fellow and use cloud-based learning management technology to ensure learners at partner sites achieve the same high-quality outcomes as their on-site peers.

Per Scholas is transforming the tech sector in LA by providing skills training and access to employer networks for job-seekers often excluded. With LA2050’s leadership and investment in our satellite training model, we will expand pathways and access for diverse technologists, equipping our city with a skilled workforce.
Our satellite program pilot will launch the initial phase, adding at least 55 learners to our existing cohorts. We plan to refine and expand the model with community partners across Los Angeles, reaching learners throughout the county, improving sector entry pathways, connecting more individuals with jobs, meeting growing employer demand, and building a more diverse workforce.
Our program's impact is profound.The average initial wage for employed graduates is $47K per year, a $27K increase from the pre-training wage of $20K. Our satellite training cohorts will help scale this impact, contributing to a more inclusive and prosperous Los Angeles.

Per Scholas launched its Satellite Program model in 2021 in New York, where one of the most significant barriers is the commutable distance between boroughs. This training approach allows for remote instruction from Per Scholas’s Bronx or Brooklyn campus to reach learners in all five boroughs.
In 2022, we developed a report assessing the satellite model’s structure, promise, and early learnings. Key findings include:
The model broadens Per Scholas’s reach into new communities and addresses unmet demand for locally accessible tech training.
Learners to date receive an equal training experience.
The model incorporates extensive capacity-building support for partners and builds collaborative impact.
The model holds promise for achieving greater efficiencies in staffing and costs in the long run.
These findings suggest that our satellite model can effectively expand our reach and impact in Los Angeles, providing equitable access to tech training and job opportunities across the county.