Holistic Approach To Education And Workforce Development

An exceptional education is one of the most valuable tools a young person can have. Through powerful opinions developed by countless discussions in history classes, strong communication skills refined in the English classroom, to creative problem solving molded by graphic design workshops, a student can use their P-TECH experience to change the world. 

However, a solid education is not always available. Graduation rates among low-income students are significantly lower, and according to the on-time, national community college graduation rate was 13 percent. Though young people understand the need to prepare for the workplace by acquiring skills and education, still a high percentage does not obtain a college degree. 

To provide a holistic approach to education and workforce development, IBM, the New York City Department of Education, and The City University of New York designed and launched the first P-TECH school in Brooklyn, New York, in September 2011 — and the first class graduated in June 2017. P-TECH addresses the global “skills gap” and strengthens regional economies by building a workforce with the academic, technical and professional skills required for new-collar jobs. 

Our goal is to provide underserved youth with an innovative education opportunity — with a direct pathway to college attainment and career readiness. P-TECH has now grown to more than 100 schools across eight US states (New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, Colorado, Rhode Island, Texas and Louisiana), plus Australia, Morocco and Taiwan, with further replication underway. More than 500 large and small companies are partnering with schools across a wide range of sectors, including health IT, advanced manufacturing, and energy technology.