Pursuing passion and achieving goals: Per Scholas

May 18, 2023
Boston

Despite facing financial challenges that affected his college education, Jerson’s passion for computer science led him to enroll in Per Scholas’ free training program, which enabled him to start his career as an IT professional.
An image of a Per Scholas student with a tie sitting at a computer with the Per Scholas logo on the wall in the background and additional students working at computers.

From a young age, Jerson was interested in computers. In middle school, he would jump in to troubleshoot issues; students and teachers alike sought his help. In high school, he took technology classes to continue developing his skills and then enrolled in UMass Boston to pursue a degree in Computer Science. With the high cost of college, even with a merit-based scholarship, he had to work two jobs and keep up his grades. In time, the financial pressure affected his academic performance and he was forced to withdraw. 

He still wanted to pursue his passion and ultimately start a career in the tech field. Hearing about Per Scholas, he was skeptical about the legitimacy of a free program, but wanted to learn more because, according to Jerson, “It sounded like an amazing opportunity if it was legit.” By the end of the 15-week training, Jerson earned his A+ and Network+ certifications with CompTIA. He recently began his career as an IT professional at a major government defense company.