Community-rooted partnership brings no-cost, high-quality tech training directly to Chicago’s South Side to drive long-term economic mobility
CHICAGO, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Per Scholas announces a new partnership with Xchange Chicago during TechChicago Week to launch a Per Scholas satellite campus on Chicago’s South Side. By combining Per Scholas’ proven tech training model with Xchange Chicago’s community-based infrastructure and demand-driven employment opportunities, the partnership brings industry-aligned, no-cost technology training directly into the cities it serves, expanding access to tech careers and strengthening local workforce pipelines.
In close collaboration with SDI Presence, a founding employer partner of Xchange Chicago, the program ensures training is aligned with real-world workforce needs and leads to tangible employment opportunities. Together, they are building a scalable approach to workforce development
— advancing economic mobility, strengthening local talent pipelines, and helping close critical gaps in the tech workforce.
“This partnership is about removing barriers — long commutes, costs, distance from opportunity — that have kept so much talent on the sidelines,” said Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas. “By connecting training with the South Side’s broader development momentum and aligning it with real employer demand, we’re creating pathways to careers that are both accessible and sustainable.“
The new satellite training site, housed at the Gary Comer Youth Center in the Greater Grand Crossing community, welcomed its first cohort of approximately 20 learners who will build cybersecurity skills this summer, with a second cohort expected to launch later this year. Per Scholas delivers its nationally recognized, AI-enhanced curriculum, along with instructors, technology, and equipment, while Xchange provides the physical training space and a community-based learning environment.
The organizations have made initial investments to launch the program and build a dedicated, hands-on training lab, with additional support from Comcast, helping make the expansion of Per Scholas’ satellite campus model in Chicago possible.
“Grand Crossing is home to tremendous people, community assets, and deep roots. We’re thrilled to welcome Per Scholas and their talented team, as they embody our mantra—Greater Together!” said Greg Mooney, President & Executive Director at Comer Science and Education Foundation.
“We’ve seen firsthand how access to the right skills can change the trajectory of someone’s life,” said Matt Summy, Senior Vice President, Government and Community Affairs, Comcast Corporation. “Through our partnership with Per Scholas and Xchange Chicago, we’re helping more people step into opportunity, build confidence, and pursue meaningful careers in tech. Comcast is proud to support this effort and ensure more Chicagoans achieve economic mobility.”
Xchange Chicago, co-founded by the Comer Science & Education Foundation, SDI Presence, and P33, is a tech workforce initiative designed to connect Chicagoans to opportunity through a place-based onshore IT delivery center and tech apprenticeship program on the South Side of Chicago. Its 28,000-square-foot Grand Crossing facility brings together technical training, wraparound services, and employer partnerships in a single community anchor. Since its inception, Xchange Chicago has helped launch the tech careers of nearly 100 Chicagoans in a variety of roles that include AI-enabled software development, Azure DevOps, cybersecurity, and enterprise asset management.
“Xchange Chicago was built on the belief that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always equally accessible,” said Hardik Bhatt, CEO of SDI Presence. “This partnership with Per Scholas represents another important step in creating meaningful, long-term pathways into technology careers. By aligning industry-recognized training with real-world employer needs and hands-on delivery experience, we are helping build a stronger, more inclusive technology workforce while investing directly in our communities.”
“We’re excited to partner with Per Scholas to bring their workforce training programs and curriculum to Xchange Chicago,” said Brad Henderson, CEO of P33. “They have a proven track record with learners and a vast employer network that will directly benefit Chicago’s South Side community.”
“What drew us to Per Scholas is that they meet learners where they are and support them well beyond that first job, ensuring long-term career growth,” said Jarquetta Egeston, Managing Director, Xchange Chicago. “Now, that level of rigorous, no-cost training is available right here in Grand Crossing.“
The Xchange training location operates as a satellite campus of Per Scholas Chicago, offering in-person, hands on technical training at the Xchange facility. Successful learners will have the opportunity to interview for apprenticeship roles with SDI Presence and access broader employer connections through Per Scholas’ Tech Talent Solutions team.
“Between the Obama Presidential Center, the Red Line extension, and the investment already happening at Xchange, the South Side is becoming a center of opportunity for tech expansion,” said Juan Gonzalez, Managing Director of Per Scholas Chicago. “We’re proud to ensure that local talent is prepared to access the careers being created right here in their community.“
By partnering with Per Scholas, Xchange gains a training partner with deep curriculum expertise, proven outcomes, and a national network of more than 1,000 employer partners. In Chicago, Per Scholas has served nearly 800 learners to date, with approximately 80% securing full-time employment after completing their training.
The Per Scholas–Xchange partnership reflects a growing national movement toward community-embedded workforce development, where employer-driven training is delivered in close partnership with trusted local organizations to expand access, strengthen talent pipelines, and drive long-term economic mobility. Support from partners, including Comcast, is helping accelerate this model across Chicago communities.
About Per Scholas
As Per Scholas celebrates 30 years of impact, we are charting an ambitious path forward—aiming to train and upskill 25,000 technologists annually by 2030, expanding access to high-growth tech careers and fostering economic mobility nationwide. Since 1995, we’ve offered no-cost tech training to more than 30,000 technologists in the most sought-after tech skills, generating over $35 billion in increased personal earnings. On average, our learners earn 3x their pre-training wage in their first role after Per Scholas. With 25 campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers—from Fortune 500 companies to startups—to create inclusive talent pipelines in fields like Cloud, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, IT Support, and Software Engineering. More than half of our learners hold a high school diploma as their highest educational credential. We are building a future where successful careers in tech are accessible to everyone across urban, suburban, and rural communities, empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive transformative economic change nationwide.
Learn more at PerScholas.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
About Xchange Chicago
Xchange Chicago is a public-private partnership between the Comer Science & Education Foundation, P33, and SDI Presence. Located in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, Xchange operates an onshore IT Delivery Center that delivers commercial IT services to corporations, redirecting a portion of the billions in outsourced IT spend to create local technology jobs and launch sustainable, community-based business enterprises.
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