ST. LOUIS — The Cortex Innovation Community is partnering with a national nonprofit to offer more free cybersecurity and technology training, officials announced this week.
Per Scholas, a New York-based organization, is currently accepting applications for its cybersecurity cohort that will start June 17 at 20 South Sarah Street, in Cortex in St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood. Later this year, it will add training for IT support skills.
The pilot program will teach technical skills to veterans with high-level security clearance and match them with companies.
"The St. Louis region has a large number of unfilled jobs, particularly in growing areas like cybersecurity," Sam Fiorello, Cortex CEO, said in a statement. "Adding Per Scholas to the existing infrastructure of local training partners will strengthen the support necessary to employ under-skilled workers and fill these critical job openings in the St. Louis region.”
Per Scholas offers training in 17 other cities across the U.S. About 85% of the nonprofit's graduates are people of color; a third are women, according to the organization.
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The partnership with Per Scholas is part of Cortex's new five-year strategic plan in which the district aims to build a diverse pipeline of talent as it aims to recruit more companies to the St. Louis region. Officials unveiled that plan last month.
Editor's note: Updated to correct the location of Per Scholas' headquarters.
Cortex officials say they have a new five-year strategic plan that will provide a roadmap to recruit more companies and build a pipeline of diverse talent.
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