IBM’s Jennifer Crozier says Big Blue is working to close the skills gap through its innovative P-TECH educational program and increasing veteran hiring.
P-TECH is a six-year tech education program that begins in the 9th grade and continues for two years after high school. In addition to in-class training, each student gets a mentor and workplace experiences. “They have the opportunity to have internships, and they’re first in line for job interviews once they graduate from the program,” according to Crozier.
Students graduate with their high school diplomas and no-cost associate degrees in a STEM discipline, along with the skills and knowledge they need to continue their studies or step into well-paying, high-potential jobs — from a manufacturing engineering technician to a quality analyst, to a software specialist, to a digital designer.
“We’re really thinking about what jobs companies like IBM will be hiring for in six years, and how we make sure that we have a curriculum to get students ready for those,” Crozier says.
P-TECH is just one IBM program designed to help close the skills gap. The company recently announced a major expansion of its long-standing academic training partnerships with community colleges, putting a new emphasis on new collar career opportunities.
To learn more visit: https://workingnation.com/shaping-future-workforce-jen-crozier/
