What Project QUEST does

Project QUEST, Inc. is a San Antonio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 that provides free, individualized workforce training and job placement services to adult residents of the Greater San Antonio area. The organization operates three core career tracks — Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing and Trades, and Information Technology — plus supplementary tracks in accounting/bookkeeping, business administration, and education/teaching certification, spanning more than 30 occupational pathways from Certified Nurse Aide to cybersecurity and software development. Participants receive tuition assistance, emergency financial support, personal career coaching, and job readiness services, with a contractual commitment to remain employed in the San Antonio area for at least 18 months post-graduation. The program reports a 90% completion rate, described in its own materials as one of the highest in the country for retraining programs.

The organization's go-to-market is community-based: prospective participants are reached through word-of-mouth, employer and community partner referrals, bi-weekly virtual and in-person information sessions, earned media coverage (including The New York Times and Harvard Business School's Managing The Future of Work), and an owned digital presence across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Application intake is a structured 3-14 day process involving pre-screening, eligibility verification (US Citizen/Legal Resident/Eligible to Work, high school diploma or GED commitment), and an enrollment interview. Graduate placement is anchored by a deep employer partnership network that includes University Health, USAA, CHRISTUS Health, Rackspace, Methodist Healthcare System, Beldon, Baptist Health System, WP Engine, and Accenture Federal. A dedicated QUEST Job Postings platform and a formal QUEST Alumni Association extend the relationship beyond initial placement.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding sources include the City of San Antonio Economic Development Department, the State of Texas (including ACES workforce programs), the U.S. Department of Labor, corporate foundations (Valero, Frost Bank), and private philanthropy (Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, United Way). Services are delivered free of charge to participants; the organization claims $19 in community economic return for every $1 donated. The company is led by founder and CEO David J. Zammiello and Chief Program Officer Lelani Mercado, with a staff of 11-50, and operates from a single headquarters at 800 Quintana Rd, Bldg 8, San Antonio, TX.

Name

Project QUEST

Legal name

Project QUEST, Inc.

Website

https://questsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

San Antonio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free, individualized workforce training in healthcare, advanced manufacturing and trades, and information technology to local adult residents, funded by government grants and private donations and reporting a 90% completion rate over 30 years of operation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Computer Training (61142), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dislocated Worker & Rapid Response / Reemployment Programs (EDAAAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB), Integrated Education & Training (IET) / Contextualized ABE (Workforce-Linked) (EDAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Job training programs
• Career coaching services
• Nonprofit workforce training
• Skills training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Project QUEST is funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants from government entities including the City of San Antonio Economic Development Department, State of Texas, and the U.S. Department of Labor. The organization also receives support from private foundations and corporate donors listed on their support page.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project QUEST provides free individualized workforce training programs in three primary career tracks: Healthcare (nursing, medical assisting, dental, allied health), Manufacturing and Trades (HVAC, plumbing, welding, construction, electrical), and Information Technology (cybersecurity, software development, web development). Participants receive tuition assistance, books, supplies, certifications, personal career coaching, emergency financial support, and job placement assistance at no cost, with a reported 90% program completion rate.

Product overview

Project QUEST is a workforce development nonprofit organization offering individualized career training programs across three primary career tracks: Manufacturing + Trades Training (HVAC, plumbing, welding, auto services, construction technology, electrical trades, and more), Healthcare Training (nursing, dental, medical assisting, and allied health professions), and Information Technology Training (cybersecurity, software development, web development, computer programming). Additional tracks include accounting/bookkeeping, business administration, and education/teaching certification. The organization provides comprehensive support services including tuition assistance, emergency financial support, personal career coaching, and job readiness assistance. A 90 percent completion rate is reported for their retraining program. The program is primarily focused on serving residents of the Greater San Antonio area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Manufacturing + Trades Training Workforce training program for San Antonio adult learners seeking careers in HVAC, plumbing, welding, auto services, construction technology, electrical trades, diesel mechanics, aircraft mechanics, CDL, culinary arts, logistics, and power generation/alternative energy. Includes job placement support with local employer partners.
• Healthcare Training Healthcare career preparation program for San Antonio adult learners, offering training for Certified Nurse Aide, Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Licensed Vocational Nurse, Medical Assistant, Registered Nurse, Pharmacy Technician, Radiography, Respiratory Therapy, Surgical Technology, and allied health professions. Includes customized skills training and personal career coaching.
• Information Technology Training IT workforce training program for San Antonio adult learners covering computer programming, computer support specialist, information assurance and cybersecurity, network administration, software development, and web and mobile development, delivered in partnership with local IT leaders including Rackspace and WP Engine.
• Additional Career Tracks Supplementary training programs in accounting/bookkeeping, business administration, and education/teaching certification for San Antonio participants seeking alternative career pathways beyond healthcare, manufacturing/trades, and IT.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% completion rate for retraining program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare employer partner that hires Project QUEST graduates in nursing and other healthcare roles.
• USAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor employer partner and financial supporter of Project QUEST's workforce development mission in San Antonio.
• CHRISTUS HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner that provides job placement opportunities for Project QUEST healthcare program graduates.
• RackspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partner that provides employment opportunities for IT program graduates.
• Methodist Healthcare SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner that employs Project QUEST graduates in nursing and cardiovascular care positions.
• BeldoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing/construction company partner that provides job placement for trades program graduates.
• Baptist Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner providing employment opportunities for healthcare program graduates.
• WP EnginecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partner providing employment for IT program graduates.
• City of San AntoniocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment funding partner through the City of San Antonio Economic Development Department.
• Alamo Colleges DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner providing training facilities and articulation agreements for student pathways.
• Accenture FederalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology consulting firm that has hired Project QUEST alumni from the CodeUp Data Science program.
• VIA Metropolitan TransitsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation partner providing transit services for participants.
• Port San AntoniosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner in the technology and manufacturing sectors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Large national workforce development nonprofit serving opportunity youth with training, internships, and corporate placement. Operates similar high-touch model but at significantly greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology training and career support to adults from underserved communities. Comparable model focused on the IT training pillar, with strong employer placement partnerships.
• Genesys Works: Workforce development nonprofit providing skills training and career pathways to high school students from underserved communities. Similar employer-driven placement model across multiple U.S. cities.
• Jewish Vocational Service (JVS): Multi-office nonprofit providing vocational training, career coaching, and job placement across various sectors. Comparable mission-driven training and placement model serving adult career changers.
• Capital IDEA: Austin, Texas-based workforce development nonprofit with a near-identical model: free career training in healthcare, IT, and trades with wraparound support and employer placement. Closest geographic and operational peer to Project QUEST.
• Towards Employment: Cleveland-based nonprofit providing workforce training and placement for adults facing barriers to employment. Comparable career pathway model with strong employer partnership focus in healthcare and skilled trades.
• NPower: National nonprofit providing free tech training and job placement to underserved adults and veterans. Directly comparable to Project QUEST's IT training pillar with similar employer partnership model.

Regional players

• Goodwill Industries of San Antonio: Local San Antonio branch of Goodwill providing workforce development, job training, and placement services. Operates in the same metro market with overlapping services in retail/trades training.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ProjectQUESTInc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAxE8zXJ3iWqqVBMvBZod4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectQUESTInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-quest-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectquest

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project QUEST