An initiative across several states has led state governments to partner with technology companies for a new school model.
To better prepare students for technology jobs and other skilled jobs, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that the state is partnering with IBM and others to build “early college high schools,” according to The Washington Post.
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Students attend the schools for six years, then graduate with a high school diploma, an associate’s degree, and work experience through internships and other programs.
By the end of next year, Hogan wants to open four Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-Tech) in the state, two in Baltimore and two in rural Maryland.
New York, Connecticut, and Illinois already have P-Tech schools, and Colorado and Rhode Island have plans to open their own.
The P-Tech schools are designed to fill a gap left by traditional education. While most high schools prepare students for college, P-Tech schools focus on skilled trades and careers in high demand throughout the economy.
The P-Tech program originated in Brooklyn, where the majority of students come from low-income families. For graduates of the Brooklyn program, starting salaries have reached $50,000.
If the schools build on that success, they could create an alternative career path for many students who don’t fit the traditional mold of higher education. Schools with a vocational focus can fill the “skills gap,” that perpetual business complaint from businesses that new workers lack the talent they need for job posting. That would offer students the chance to avoid the debt of higher education as they build a different career.
