Per Scholas to bring tuition-free tech training to Houston's Ion building

Officials with the national tech training nonprofit Per Scholas announced July 17 its debut in Houston, bringing tuition-free training to the city's Ion District in Midtown.

The campus, located at 4201 Main St., Houston, is being made possible by an investment from Rice University, which developed the Ion, and additional support from BlackRock and Comcast NBCUniversal, according to a July 17 news release.

Bringing Per Scholas on board is part of a broader commitment from Ion officials to develop tech skills among Houstonians, as laid out in a community benefits agreement between Rice and the city, Ion Executive Director Jan Odegard said in a statement.

“This investment will expand nontraditional learning opportunities for local Houstonians looking to develop new skills in our dynamic economy,” Odegard said.

Roughly 85% of Per Scholas learners are people of color, more than 40% identify as women, according to the release. More than half have a high school diploma as their highest education credential.

The nonprofits offers 12- to 15-week courses designed for individuals, communities, and companies. The first training program—IT support course—will begin in October, according to the release. Individuals can learn more and apply here. Those who complete the training can earn the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and the CompTIA A+ certification.

Another Per Scholas location has been operating in Dallas since 2014.