Timely Research Spurs Expansion Strategy for New York Organization

By Scott Russell

Per Scholas, a charity in the Bronx, N.Y., that focuses on job training, is moving ahead aggressively on its plans to expand during the recession. The organization hopes to open a new branch in the first quarter of 2010 and add a new city every eight to 12 months, says Plinio Ayala, the group's president.

Started in 1995, Per Scholas trains low-income people to become computer technicians. Participants attend a 15-week, 500-hour training program, aligned with the needs of employers