Maryland Chamber of Commerce

P-TECH

Maryland’s P-TECH program provides six-year pathways from high school to career, at no cost, to cohorts of students in the state’s most economically underperforming areas.

THE PROGRAM’S ROOTS

New York was the first state to pilot P-TECH in 2011 with IBM as a co-founder. This original program expanded to span Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Rhode Island, and even internationally. It is expected to grow to more than 100 schools by the end of the year.

The first graduating cohort was in 2018, across four cities, with scholars receiving their associates degrees in STEM in six years or less—more than four times the U.S. on-time graduation average for all students in community college. Degrees can be obtained in applied science, engineering, computers, and other STEM disciplines in order to prepare students for “new collar” positions. Read more in our article: The birth of P-TECH.

Since its inception in 2011, more than 400 business partners have forged relationships in participating states to prepare graduates for the workforce.

P-TECH’S GROWTH

See how P-TECH grew nationally and internationally over the last seven years. Download the detailed P-TECH Expansion Timeline.

THE P-TECH EXPERIENCE

View one student’s journey from the classroom to the office:

MARYLAND’S INVOLVEMENT

Maryland launched its P-TECH program during the 2016-2017 school year at Carver High School and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. At the start of the 2018 school year, it will have expanded to five other schools in the state. The P-TECH Act of 2017 supports program expansion in Maryland through a competitive grant process administered by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The P-TECH program serves all students, including those from low-income families, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, English-language learners and students of color. Maryland looks for replicated success from the first class of graduates to help improve job readiness in the state. Read about the program kick-off at Dundalk High.