Science and technology industries drive economic growth – locally, at the state level and nationwide. That's not news.
What is news is that half of all STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) jobs are middle-skill jobs — requiring more than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.
The U.S. Labor Department reports that there are 29 million middle-skill jobs in the American economy now, and that 14 million more will be created over the next 10 years — for people with the right skills.
Preparing our young people for successful participation in this "hidden" STEM economy is the goal of a new partnership between IBM and the New York state Education Department.
This partnership will develop 16 new grades 9–14 schools, from which students will graduate with an associate degree in technology, that will bring STEM and workplace skills training to New York's 10 economic development zones. By anticipating the state's development needs and training students for careers in fields with growing demands, we can help ensure New York's place in the 21st century global economy.
The 16 new schools will be patterned on the successful Pathways in Technology Early College High School in New York City. The P-TECH model already has rolled out across five schools in Chicago, and New York City has just announced plans for three more schools.
Schools in both cities report record high rates of attendance, achievement and promotion, and graduates of the P-TECH-model schools with which we partner directly will be first in line for jobs with IBM.
School districts around the country are excited about the prospect of bringing P-TECH-model schools to their communities for one simple reason: They work.
P-TECH-model schools are not charter schools. They are open-admissions public schools that operate within existing budgets to connect high school to college and career. Each school collaborates with a corporate partner and higher education institution on curriculum development — refining and updating course content on an ongoing basis to ensure that what students learn is relevant to industry.
In schools with which IBM partners directly, the rigorous academic curriculum is reinforced with site visits and workplace learning, and through the personal, one-on-one commitments of volunteer IBM mentors to each student.
Visionary school leadership, dedicated teaching and personal commitments to students' success have inspired young people at P-TECH-model schools to reach beyond standard expectations. Our New York City school — in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood — achieved a 96 percent attendance rate among its first class of ninth-graders. Ninety-seven percent of these students were promoted to 10th grade, where half of them took courses this year at CUNY's New York City College of Technology.
At our Chicago school, which is concluding its first academic year, there is a 97 percent attendance rate and nearly 100 percent of students are on track for promotion.
Our New York and Chicago schools' attendance and promotion rates would be impressive anywhere, but they are particularly meaningful for students from challenging socioeconomic environments and who, in many cases, will be the first members of their families to obtain postsecondary degrees.
With support from their families and communities, these young people are taking control of their destinies and positioning themselves for future success.
We know that young people all across our state have similar hopes and dreams. And IBM is pleased to encourage and support them to help make their dreams come true.
Linda Sanford is IBM's senior vice president for Enterprise Transformation.
