Independent Study Proves Per Scholas Training Reaps Real Rewards

After five years of participation in a random-assignment longitudinal study, Public/Private Ventures (P/PV), with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, found that Per Scholas’ Computer Technician Training graduates work more hours and earn more than those who do not go through the program.

The national study investigated the outcomes of nearly 1,300 applicants in three sectoral training programs in different industries who were randomly divided into two groups — one that received training and a control group that did not. After three years of providing vocational training followed by two years of monitoring employment progression, the results showed that training participants substantially improved their prospects for employment and higher wages. Program participants were:

More likely to find work and worked more months than those who did not receive sector-focused training.
Earning significantly more than control group members: On average, they earned about $4,500 more during the two-year study, and Per Scholas graduates earned about $4,600 more – representing a 30% increase in wages over the control group.
Making even more wage gains over time: The longer the study continued, the bigger the wage difference between training graduates and the control group. For Per Scholas, the biggest impacts began in month 16 of the follow-up and continued through the end of the follow-up period.

The five-year study was launched in 2003 but Per Scholas is still seeing positive results today, despite the economic downturn. While the study focused on Per Scholas’ New York operations, the Miami training program is seeing the same outstanding results from its graduates. Given the high demand for workforce development, plans are underway to replicate the Per Scholas Computer Technician Training program in other underserved communities around the nation.

For a copy of the study’s major findings, go to the Public/Private Ventures, website at www.ppv.org. A full report will be released late 2009.