Per Scholas Launches Innovative New Salesforce AI Fellowship Pilot

Innovative workforce initiative pairs Per Scholas' Salesforce Administrator course graduates with paid nonprofit fellowships to gain real-world experience with AI and Salesforce.

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Per Scholas announces the launch of its Salesforce AI Fellowship, a new workforce initiative that creates work-based learning opportunities for graduates seeking hands-on experience with AI-enabled Salesforce administration.

The program provides selected graduates with an eight-month paid fellowship within New York nonprofit organizations. Fellows will apply their technical skills in real-world environments while helping mission-driven organizations modernize operations, strengthen Salesforce systems, improve data quality, and responsibly adopt artificial intelligence.

"As AI transforms the workplace, technical skills alone are no longer enough—employers need candidates who can apply those skills in real business environments," said Caitlyn Brazill, President of Per Scholas. "Our Salesforce AI Fellowship gives graduates meaningful, paid experience while helping nonprofit organizations harness AI. This evolution of our learn-and-earn model creates value for learners, employers, and communities alike."

"Per Scholas has long prepared talent for the Salesforce ecosystem, and this Fellowship builds on that success by connecting technical training with real-world experience," said Katherine Sullivan, SVP, Customer Success, Salesforce. "We're excited to see graduates apply Salesforce and AI skills to help nonprofits drive impact while building the experience needed to thrive in today's workforce."

The initiative focuses on creating post-training career advancement opportunities for graduates of Per Scholas' four-month, no-cost Salesforce Administrator training, where learners develop expertise in Salesforce administration, Agentforce, Prompt Builder, AI-enabled workflow design, and more. Eligible and selected graduates are matched with New York City nonprofit organizations for an eight-month paid fellowship, during which they implement Salesforce solutions, strengthen data governance, and deploy AI tools to increase organizational efficiency.

Participating nonprofits complete an AI Readiness Assessment to identify projects where fellows can deliver immediate value. Per Scholas is partnering with the Workforce Professionals Training Institute (WPTI) to support nonprofit readiness and organizational capacity throughout the initiative.

"WPTI is thrilled to support nonprofits building AI capacity through Salesforce," says Sherazade Langlade, CEO of WPTI. "This fellowship will strengthen organizations' readiness and change management capabilities, helping them ethically adopt AI and embed valuable tools into their operations."

The inaugural pilot will pair selected fellows with nonprofit organizations across New York City, including WPTI, JobsFirstNYC, COOP Careers, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, Phipps Neighborhoods, and New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE). Fellows will receive ongoing coaching from Per Scholas, mentorship from Salesforce professionals, structured professional development, and continued career placement support following completion of the Fellowship.

The Fellowship is made possible by early philanthropic and corporate partners committed to expanding opportunity in the AI economy, including Barclays and Accenture.

"At Barclays, we're proud to support Per Scholas in advancing a fellowship that brings together workforce innovation, AI-ready talent, and nonprofit capacity building – helping more people access opportunity while strengthening organizations that serve our communities." - Deborah Goldfarb, Global Head of Citizenship, Barclays.

"Accenture is proud to advise and support Per Scholas' Salesforce AI Fellowship and its broader vision for preparing learners and New York Nonprofits for the AI economy," said Dr. Dwayne Brown, Accenture client account lead for Per Scholas, and a financial services executive. "It's a win-win for everyone: connecting fellows to learn and earn opportunities that develop critical skills and employment opportunities, creating meaningful value for nonprofits, and improving the overall ecosystem in New York."  

"In an increasingly tech-powered economy, Per Scholas continues to be an integral partner. Building on their joint work with NYC Talent's Tech Talent Pipeline and Apprenticeship Accelerator teams, this new Salesforce AI Fellowship equips local talent with cutting-edge tools to thrive in forward-deployed tech roles," said NYC Office of Talent and Workforce Development Executive Director Doug Lipari. "Per Scholas is helping to redefine what entry-level tech jobs in NYC look like with this community-focused and innovative program."

"New York City's technology economy is growing faster than its workforce pipeline, and the rise of AI has raised real questions about what the future of work will look like," said Council Member Julie Won. "The Per Scholas Salesforce AI Fellowship is the kind of investment that builds a real bridge by pairing skilled graduates with New York nonprofits for eight months of paid, real-world experience. As fellows strengthen these organizations' Salesforce systems and data, they free up nonprofit staff to spend less time on administrative overhead and more time serving our communities. That is workforce development and community investment in one initiative."

The Salesforce AI Fellowship builds on Per Scholas' longstanding partnership with Salesforce. By piloting this model, Per Scholas aims to strengthen career outcomes for learners while helping nonprofit organizations build the technology capacity needed to better serve their communities.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a proven talent accelerator that delivers results, transforms lives, strengthens businesses, and builds opportunity nationwide.

Since 1995, we've provided no-cost training to 35,000+ professionals in sought-after skills. Our responsive training closes hiring gaps in months, delivering day-one-ready talent. With 25+ campuses and remote programs, we partner with employers, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, to build talent pipelines in fields like Data Centers, AI, Advanced Manufacturing, Critical Facilities, Cybersecurity, and Cloud.

Learn more by visiting PerScholas.org and follow us on social media.

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SOURCE Per Scholas