Open P-TECH provides students and educators access to digital
learning in areas including AI, cloud computing and
cybersecurity
ARMONK, New York, May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At its Think Digital
conference today, IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced the launch of Open
P-TECH, a free digital education platform focused on workplace
learning and digital skills. The platform, building on the industry
leading P-TECH program, equips 14-20-year old learners and
educators with foundational technology competencies. Training in
technologies such as AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity, along
with professional skills, like Design Thinking, that are highly
valued in the market set Open P-TECH apart. It offers content in
English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Ginni Rometty, IBM Executive
Chairman, will discuss the platform as part of a broader discussion
on the future of education, skills development and the digital
workforce in the post-COVID-19 era as part of the Think Digital
conference on May 5 at 1pm ET and 9pm ET,
register here to attend. She will be joined by musician,
businessman, and philanthropist will.i.am, Founder and CEO of
I.AM+.
"As the pandemic accelerates digital transformation, new ways of
learning must keep pace if we are to equip all young people with
skills relevant to the digital era and marketplace," said
Ginni Rometty, IBM Executive
Chairman. "On the one hand, this is a massive challenge; on the
other, this presents a great opportunity to better prepare people
for new collar careers. Open P-TECH is a free platform
designed to provide relevant workplace skills to anyone in the
world so they can be successful in this digital era."
First launched by IBM in 2011, the P-TECH (Pathways to
Technology Early College High School) model has been adopted in 220
schools across 24 countries with over 150,000 students and 600
corporate partners. Open P-TECH scales the most essential workplace
preparation elements of the P-TECH program making them available to
more students than ever before. Open P-TECH provides modules for
students and teachers that include courses on emerging technologies
and courses on professional competencies, both leading to free
digital badges that students can share on their online
resumes. Using the platform, students preparing for
internships and new collar jobs earn the same badges as
professionals in the field. In tandem with this, IBM is
offering online webinars on a variety of workplace topics, along
with activities that students can engage in over the
summer. Initially launched across Australia, Brazil, India
and the United States, Open P-TECH
will bring components of the P-TECH model to 250,000 additional
students in these countries, many of whom would otherwise not have
access to innovative digital learning.
In Brazil, for example,
Bradesco will be deploying Open P-TECH to more than 9,000 high
school students, making the program available for those most in
need.
"Since 1956, Fundação Bradesco has offered free, quality
education to thousands of students in Brazil. We understand that valuing education
is the only way to face challenges and promote positive social and
economic impacts," said Jefferson
Romon, Deputy Director of Fundação Bradesco. "With Open
P-TECH and IBM, we are taking another step in the evolution of our
digital education methodology so that the next generation of
professionals has the promising future they deserve," he added.
IBM believes that companies bringing advanced technologies to
market have a responsibility to prepare students and workers for
the way those technologies will shape jobs and the nature of our
work. Innovation should unlock opportunities to make our workforce
more inclusive, not less. In addition to Open P-TECH, the
company's efforts to expand the pipeline for technology jobs
include:
- The IBM Tech Re-Entry Program is a paid returnship for
technical professionals who have been out of the workforce for at
least 24 months and are looking to re-enter the workforce. The
program provides participants training, access to tools and
technology, mentorship, and work assignments on technical projects
that are matched to their expertise.
- The IBM Apprenticeship Program, which is registered with the
U.S. Department of Labor, includes a 12-24 month program that
pairs apprentices with an IBM mentor to work on actual IBM projects
in technology's fastest-growing fields, such as cybersecurity,
mainframe administration and software development.
Open P-TECH is now available to students and teachers worldwide.
Register here: https://open.ptech.org
About IBM Think Digital
At Think Digital 2020, IBM
will discuss the state of business and the role of critical
technologies, such as AI and Cloud, as clients accelerate recovery
and digital transformation in the wake of COVID-19.
Visit https://www.ibm.com/events/think/watch for the full
schedule and livestream agenda, and to watch all of the
programming—including IBM CEO Arvind
Krishna's keynote, "The New Essential Technologies for
Business,'' on May 5 at 11:15 am ET and 7:15 pm
ET.
Follow the conference on Twitter at #think2020 and @ibmlive. For
more information, visit the IBM Think 2020 Newsroom:
https://newsroom.ibm.com/think.
IBM Media Contact
Katie
Leasor
kleasor@us.ibm.com
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