Posted October 21, 2021
Abraham Lincoln High School
2285 S. Federal Blvd.
Denver, CO 80219
720-423-5000
IBM-inspired P-TECHs enable public high school students to
earn STEM community college degrees in preparation for STEM careers
Denver, CO, October 21st, 2021 — Abraham Lincoln High School and Denver Public Schools announced P-TECH, a widely praised program for preparing teens for rewarding STEM careers.
Abraham Lincoln High School is joining the many organizations that have made P-TECH a success since IBM co-founded the first school in 2011 together with educators. The model is designed to bolster business and improve STEM career readiness, particularly for under-represented communities. P–TECH schools enable students to earn both their high school diploma and a two–year associate degree linked to growing, competitive STEM fields, and offer students workplace experiences that include industry mentoring, worksite visits, paid internships and first–in–line for job considerations with a school’s company partner.
“Our students at Abraham Lincoln High School are fortunate to have such a strong program being offered to students as early as 9th grade. With the support of Community College of Denver, Microsoft©, Pinnacol Assurance©, and Denver Public School’s Finance. The P-Tech Business Academy at Lincoln High School prepares students for the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree in Business from the Community College of Denver by the time they graduate from Lincoln “ said Antonio Esquibel, Lincoln’s Principal.
Abraham Lincoln High School today joins the network of 210 P-TECHs in the United States, which has grown by 82 schools during the past year in this country alone. Schools now collaborate with 200 community colleges worldwide, and are affiliated with at least 600 industry partner companies, which provide mentorships, internships and relevant workplace experience to students.
“The P-TECH model is part of IBM’s longstanding commitment to education and skilling with a focus on underserved communities. We are thrilled to see more learners benefitting from the program, and how many young people worldwide are increasingly gaining exposure to disruptive technologies for STEM careers in all industries,” said Lydia Logan, VP of Education at IBM. “The expansion of this school model is part of IBM’s goal to skill 30 million people of all ages with new skills needed for modern jobs by 2030.”
The difficulty employers worldwide face in finding skilled workers poses a significant hurdle to economic growth. According to the World Economic Forum, closing the global skills gap could add US$11.5 trillion to global GDP by 2028, but education and training systems would need to keep pace with market demands.
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