Barclays and Per Scholas Partnership: Tech Training Helps Fill Cybersecurity Job Skills Gap

On Tuesday September 27th, our CEO Jes Staley and US colleagues joined Per Scholas in celebrating the grand opening of their new Brooklyn location. Built in partnership with Barclays, the expansion will allow Per Scholas to serve an additional 140 New Yorkers annually, expanding its impact to more than 550 New Yorkers trained every year. 

Per Scholas is a nonprofit organization that provides tuition-free technology skills training and professional development to un- or underemployed individuals. The Brooklyn location will offer a newly developed 16-week cybersecurity training track, developed in close partnership with Barclays, which aims to train and prepare graduates for cybersecurity jobs and opportunities.  Barclays has committed to hiring 10 Per Scholas cybersecurity graduates for six-month paid internships upon graduation.

A recent study found a dangerous shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals, which negatively impacts organisations and their customers, leading to more frequent and costly data breaches. At the grand opening event, Maria Vullo, Superintendent, NY State Department of Financial Services provided her views on the rising cyber threat and the lack of skilled professionals to combat it.

Per Scholas’ partnership at Barclays

Barclays has supported Per Scholas’ employment initiatives since 2012. More than 500 Barclays employees have volunteered with Per Scholas in a variety of ways including hosting large-scale mock interview events and serving as mentors through Per Scholas’ Women in Tech program. Barclays has also hired 12 Per Scholas graduates for full-time careers with our Operations & Technology function.