TEANECK, N.J., Sept. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognizant
(NASDAQ: CTSH) and Per Scholas will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony
at a new state-of-the-art technology training facility in the
South Bronx on Mon., Sept.
18, and welcome the first classes of students enrolled in
Cognizant's technology jobs training program designed to help New
Yorkers access career opportunities in the growing IT, digital and
tech sectors. New
Jersey-based Cognizant is a Fortune 500 company and a global
leader in business, digital and technology services, and one of the
largest employers of STEM professionals in the United States.
The event will be held at the new Cognizant Bronx Training
Center, 804 East 138th St., 2nd Flr., in the
South Bronx from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., ET. Scheduled event
attendees include Francisco D'Souza,
Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant, and Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per
Scholas.
With a specialized curriculum, the no-cost training program will
provide technology skills training and career development resources
to as many as 650 New Yorkers within the first 18 months.
Students are being recruited from across the five
boroughs.
National workforce training non-profit Per Scholas is
administering the 8-10 week courses, three currently underway, that
will include industry- and job-specific courses and networking
opportunities designed to connect individuals in overlooked talent
pools with job opportunities. Students enrolled in the
initial class are studying quality engineering (QE) and testing,
and application support management (ASM). Additional courses will
be announced in coming weeks.
Cognizant plans to offer positions to as many as 350 of the
training program's initial graduates to support its projects and
clients in the five boroughs, as well as continuing to provide
future graduates with career guidance and opportunities. Per
Scholas will also work with other employers in the region to help
program graduates find jobs.
"This partnership is one example of many in which Cognizant
invests in local communities to recruit and train American workers
for digitally-intensive roles. We're excited to welcome the first
students into our technology training program. The exponential
improvement of digital technologies is transforming industries,
government, and education," said Francisco
D'Souza, CEO of Cognizant. "Yet this fast pace of digital
progress has also widened the digital skills gap. As a result, many
U.S. companies struggle to hire all of the technologically-skilled
people they need to stay competitive in an age of artificial
intelligence, algorithms, bots, and big
data."
"Per Scholas is thrilled to partner with Cognizant to provide
training and placement services at the new Cognizant Bronx Training
Center. This unique partnership will address a significant portion
of the skills gap facing the New York City
tech workforce," said Plinio
Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas. "Over the last few
years, we have witnessed an increase in employer demand for
mid-level technology talent. This partnership will allow us to
leverage over 20 years of proven experience to support Cognizant's
efforts to train and hire local. Companies willing to invest in
talent outside of their traditional pipelines are finding diverse
and capable employees with both the creativity and determination
needed to succeed in tech."
Cognizant currently employs more than 2,300 people across
New York State in addition to the
expected 350 roles to be filled by the graduates of the training
program. The new Cognizant Bronx Training Center will also be used
to train the company's current associates in the region and campus
hires.
Per Scholas is a national non-profit dedicated to collaborating
with business to design industry- and job specific courses based on
employers' tech talent needs for individuals in lower-income
communities.
Empire State Development is supporting the $6 million Cognizant program in the South Bronx with $2
million in performance-based tax credits through the
Excelsior Jobs Program. The funding will support the recruitment
and training of the students who will be able to apply for jobs at
Cognizant and elsewhere in the industry.
To learn more about these upcoming training opportunities or
details about Cognizant's partnership with Per Scholas, please
email CognizantTraining@perscholas.org.
About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ-100: CTSH) is one of
the world's leading professional services companies, transforming
clients' business, operating and technology models for the digital
era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients
envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses.
Headquartered in the U.S., Cognizant is ranked 205 on the Fortune
500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in
the world. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at
www.cognizant.com or follow us @Cognizant.
About Per Scholas
Per Scholas is a national nonprofit
that drives positive and proven social change in communities across
the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training
and professional development, we prepare motivated and curious
adults who are un- or underemployed for life-changing careers as IT
professionals, and we create onramps to businesses in need of their
talents. Today we provide our solutions in six cities across the
country: Atlanta, Georgia;
Greater Cincinnati and
Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; the National Capital Region,
and New York, New York. To date,
Per Scholas has trained over 7,000 individuals, helping them build
lasting, life-changing careers in technology. To learn more, visit
www.perscholas.org.
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SOURCE Cognizant