Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH) are innovative public schools spanning grades 9 to 14 that bring together the best elements of high school, college and career. P-TECH students are not screened for admission. In six years or less, they graduate with a high school diploma and a no-cost, two-year associate degree connected to a growth industry.

Students graduate with an associate degree in applied science, engineering, computers or other competitive STEM disciplines, along with the skills and knowledge they need to continue their studies or step easily into high-growth, “new collar” jobs. These are positions in some of the nation’s fastest-growing industries where what matters most is having in-demand skills.

Sarah E Goode STEM Academy is IBM's P-TECH school here in Chicago. P-TECH is a partnership between public schools (CPS), local colleges (City Colleges of Chicago), and industry (IBM) to provide students a pathway to work.

Students at Goode are able to pursue an Associate Degree in an IT pathway at no cost as part of a 4-6 year program. As the industry partner, IBM provides workplace readiness skills via site visits, workshops, employee mentors, and internships. Ultimately, students who graduate with their Associates degree are placed first in line for jobs at IBM.

Why P-TECH Matters...

P-TECH matters because college completion rates are far too low, and current Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are often disconnected from the demands of industry. Meanwhile, there are 28 million “middle-skill jobs” – jobs that require an associate degree or similar technical training shy of a four-year degree – with 14 million additional jobs to be added by 2018. The fastest growing and highest paying jobs are those requiring proficiency in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. But less than one-third of U.S. students are adequately prepared for STEM careers, and college completion rates in these fields are in the single digits.

While U.S. high school graduation rates have improved markedly, postsecondary completion rates and the quality of skills training have not. More than half of U.S. community college students require remediation, and less than 25 percent of them will earn a certificate or degree within eight years. For low-income Americans and young people of color, remediation rates are much higher and completion rates much lower. Without postsecondary degrees and middle-skills job training, these young people are relegated to part-time jobs, limited benefits, and wages less than $15 per hour, all of which contribute to growing rates of income inequality.

P-TECH was designed to help break the cycle of poverty and address skills gaps in the labor force by preparing young people from all backgrounds for academic achievement and middle-class employment. In 2011, IBM, along with the New York City Department of Education and The City University of New York, created a program that would link education to economic development and create a pathway from high school to college and career.