Talent

High School Students Earning Free Associate Degree in STEM

July 16, 2018

The P-TECH program allows students to earn both a high school and an associate degree in STEM in six years.

In 2011, looking to bring more students into the STEM pipeline, IBM worked with educators, policymakers and elected officials to create the Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) model.

Starting with one school in 2011, there are now 100 schools that participate in this program.

Students can enroll in the six-year program, which begins in high school and earn both a high school and an associate's degree in a science, tech, engineering or math-related field. The schools map skills that employers value into the curriculum, preparing P-TECH graduates to enter the workforce after graduation.

In order to ensure that students can find jobs in their field, the program is supported by 400 business partners that work directly with 79 schools across the U.S. The business partners ensure that students are career-ready by providing mentoring, site visits and paid internships.

In addition to filling the many STEM jobs in the market today, P-TECH is also helping these graduates move to “new collar” jobs which can range from associate analyst to digital design developer.

IBM operates its own division of the program, called IBM P-TECH, which this year will graduate more than 150 students in four cities. The student attended Pathways in Technology Early College High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy in Chicago; Norwalk Early College Academy (NECA) in Norwalk, Conn.; and Excelsior Academy in Newburgh, N.Y.

Some of the students completed their degrees in four years and are the first in their family to earn a college degree.

Click here for a look at the IBM -PTECH class of 2018.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.