1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Today, we're going to be talking about IBM's role in 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: an educational model known as p Tech, which was established 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: inn with a mission to empower students with the skills 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: they need for careers in STEM. We'll be talking with 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: Joe L. Mangan, executive director of the p Tech Program 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: at IBM, as well as PTech graduate and hardware developer 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: Eric Cholula Martinez and p tech graduate and IBM apprentice 8 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: Suhlia Karam Doran. If you want to hear previous entries 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: in this series, you can simply look up the episodes 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: labeled smart Talks and our feed from earlier this year, 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: and you can also check out the episodes of smart 12 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: Talks on the I Heart Media podcast tech Stuff. And 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: now let's jump right into our conversation. Joel, let's start 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: with you. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, 15 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: your background and how you wound up working for IBM. Yes, 16 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: so um I joined pe Tech just about over a 17 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: year ago. I am actually a recent American. I was 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: born in Africa in the country call Cameroon and uh 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: and I moved to the US about eight years ago 20 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: after you know, doing work and studying in in the 21 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 1: UK and working all over Europe, in Student and Denmark, 22 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: mainly in IBMS consulting business. So I joined our CSR 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: team a couple of years ago and this has been 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: my most exciting work at IBM doing this work at 25 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: p Tech. Now, what led you to get involved specifically 26 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: in education? UM? Education has always played a really important 27 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: role in my life. I have benefited from a lot 28 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: of opportunities that my my ps did not get and 29 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: the outcomes in our lives has been is very very 30 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: clear to see us as we've all got gotten older. Also, 31 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: my mom was an avid believer in education. She stopped 32 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: her education at the age of thirteen, and she was 33 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: so insistent that we get the best education that we 34 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: that we could get and that we took it seriously. 35 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: I was really inspirational was that after she had six 36 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: children and she was thirty five at the time, she 37 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: went back to school and she studied to become a 38 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: teacher and she was an elementary school teacher for the 39 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: rest of our life. So it's something that has been 40 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 1: a really passionating in our family. So we work a 41 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: lot in education, but mainly in access to education, and 42 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: this is my first foray really into the systematic part 43 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: of education. Well, let's talk about about p tech for 44 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: a second then, So, so first of all, can you 45 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: just tell us what p tech is, what it stands for, 46 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: and then how does it work. PETE stands for Pathways 47 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: to Technology Early College, high School and so now you know, 48 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: I we just call it pe tech UM. So PETER 49 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: was conceived ten years ago to have a different and 50 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: innovative way to tackle the skills gap. I think we 51 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: can talk about the skills gap in a minute, but 52 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: focus really on how p tech works. UM. Pe tech 53 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: allows ninth graders in a p tech school to complete 54 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: a STEM related Associates degree and the high school diploma 55 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,679 Speaker 1: at the same time. So the aim of the program 56 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: is that while you're in high school that you complete 57 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: UM that your p tech program with a STEM Related 58 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: Associates degree as well as your high school diploma. Obviously, 59 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: so instead of having a nine to twelve model, so 60 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: the K to twelve model that we're all familiar with 61 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: is a kid to fourteen, which means that's an extra 62 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: two years that a student may use to be able 63 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: to complete both the diploma and and the the associate's 64 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: degree in a STEM field. What is unique about petech 65 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: is the role that industry plays. So there are three 66 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: parties to every p tech school. There's the high school, 67 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: there is the community college which offers the associates degree, 68 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: and then there's the business. What the business does in 69 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: p tech, which which is really unique in this program 70 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: in education programs, is that it aligns the degree pathway 71 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: to what is a growing job area, job area that 72 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: is in high demand for for the future of work. 73 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: And then the business provides mentoring for the students, which 74 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: is to help them build a series of eleven critical 75 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: skills that are really important for for for work these days. 76 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: And then the last thing we do is to provide 77 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: paid internships to provide real experience at work and to 78 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: expand the network of students UH and also to to 79 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: to domestify working in the tech space. And then lastly, 80 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 1: the students who complete and become graduates of p tech 81 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 1: are first in line to be able to take jobs 82 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: in the companies that their partnered within their p tech school. So, so, Helia, 83 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: can you tell us a bit about yourself and what 84 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: led you to get involved with p tech. So when 85 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: my parents started their divorce, I was in my last 86 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: year of middle school and my dad was the sole 87 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: provider of the household. My mom was a stay at 88 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: home mom, and the reality for me at that time 89 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: was since I won't be with dad, I don't have 90 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: money for college and it was really scary. And p 91 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: Tech was starting in the high school in our area, 92 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: and I said, hey, this is a really great opportunity 93 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: if I get chosen to get a college education without 94 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: having to pay for it. So when I chose to apply, 95 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: it was just I had a minor interest in tech 96 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: from when I lived in the Bronx and I was 97 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: a part of the Lego robotics team at my elementary school, 98 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: and I thought, if I could just apply that little 99 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: piece of knowledge to whatever coursework all face in high school, 100 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: then maybe I have a good chance at surviving college 101 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: in high school together. So, do you still have a 102 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: particular interest in robotics or have you moved on to 103 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: other things. Pe Tech really helped me realize there are 104 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: multiple sectors in tech, and it's just not engineering per se. 105 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 1: Right now, I'm a part of the UX Design Apprenticeship 106 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 1: because during my time of Pechech I got to be 107 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: a CSR intern and I got to realize helping people 108 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: and interacting with people is something I really love and 109 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: robotics wasn't anything like that, so it wasn't my passion. 110 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: And you said, sorry, just for people who aren't familiar. 111 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: So this user experience. But what is CSR. Oh, it's 112 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: the Corferent Social Responsibility Team at IBM. Oh great, and uh, Eric, 113 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: the same thing. Can you tell us a bit about 114 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: your background, about yourself and your interests and what led 115 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: you into p tech. Yeah, so what led me to 116 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 1: pechech was I went to the orientation where Rushie Davis 117 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: talked about, um, how you can get a free associate 118 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: degree along with your high school diploma, and I saw, uh, 119 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 1: you know what better way of getting a degree? It's free? 120 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: And for sure I couldn't probably in debt if it 121 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: wasn't for for this program. Um. So I'm very thankful 122 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: to be tech right now, I'm a hardware developer at IBM. 123 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: I what I do mainly is characterized ships and characterize 124 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: things inside main frames to better understand our systems and 125 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 1: to further progress than for future generations of IBM machines. 126 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: Now I'm curious, well, what does it mean to characterize 127 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: a chip? So it would just to be to stress 128 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: test them. Have you ever played a video game like 129 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: UH in terms of like a console or PC, as 130 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: you could tell, like stressing the system would UH differ 131 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: between you know, playing a game that runs sixty frames 132 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: per second versus just googling something. So we're just taking 133 00:07:55,360 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: different UH workloads and seeing how they how much power, 134 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: how much UH ampires and stuff like that the chips 135 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: would produce when running different stress tests. Oh excellent, Okay cool? 136 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: Will the new BioShock melt my computer? I don't think 137 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: that's my question? But Joel, let's come back to you. 138 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: So if you think about p tech as an answer, 139 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: what is the question? What are the problems it is 140 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: designed to solve? So, UM, if we mentioned the skills 141 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: cap before and and just to explain what the skills 142 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: gap is, is that in the marketplace there are and 143 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: this has been consistent for for modern ten years UH. 144 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: The technology is changing jobs very very quickly. So there 145 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: used to be a couple of companies, tech companies that 146 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: needed technology skills. Now every company needs technology skills. And 147 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: what we've seen is that the the the jobs that 148 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: are available in the marketplace, UM, there are not enough 149 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: people with skills to actually feel those jobs. Who have 150 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: the skills to fill those jobs. The paradox of all 151 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: of this is that there actually is a large population 152 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: of people who are unemployed, and so so the labor 153 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: market has people who could be taking these jobs, but 154 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: they are not. They don't have the skills to take 155 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: these job. So that's that's the skills go That's one 156 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: thing that Petech is trying to solve. The second thing 157 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: that Pete is trying to solve, which is much more fundamental, 158 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: and it speaks to why we start at ninth grade, 159 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: is that one way of looking at the labor market 160 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: is to look at what that gap is between the 161 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: jobs that are available and and and the skills, and 162 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: that skills gap right now as we're speaking, or at 163 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: least before COVID was about seven hundred thousand tech jobs 164 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: that we're going on field because the skills were not 165 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: available in the marketplace. The other way to look at 166 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: that is like why are they not available in the marketplace? 167 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: And if there were, like which types of people do 168 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: not have access to those jobs? So there's sometimes where 169 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: it's not just a matter of skills, but it's a 170 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: matter of opportunity. So are you getting the option to 171 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: get a degree. Are you getting the option to get 172 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: a degree in the in the in the right area 173 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: that puts you on a path to be able to 174 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: get a job. Do you have the networks to actually 175 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: get a job? Would you even find out if this 176 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 1: job was going in a place like i DM, do 177 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: you have the networks to be able to get into that? 178 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: And so if we look at our society, there are 179 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: many people who are just locked out of the opportunity. 180 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: So there's also an opportunity gap. And what Pete is 181 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 1: trying to solve is like in the communities that businesses working, 182 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: how can we create a program away for people who 183 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: have talent to be matched with the opportunity to get 184 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: into these jobs, but also to acquire the skills and 185 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: the credentials to get the job. So if you look 186 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: at pro tech design, it disintegrated curriculum where you get 187 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: your associates degree, and then where the Associates degree is 188 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: really the output is putting you in a place where 189 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: you can get that job. But then everything about the 190 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: mentorship and the paid work experiences is about expanding that 191 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: network and giving you access to where the jobs are. 192 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: So you have a strong network and you have also 193 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 1: a strong visibility to be able to get into the 194 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: into these jobs. So, Joel, this might overlap with the 195 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: answer you just gave, but maybe this will get it 196 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: a different aspect of it. P tech was created about 197 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: a decade ago, right and roughly in the wake of 198 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: the Great Recession, when obviously the job's outlook was or 199 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: had recently been pretty grim for a lot of people. 200 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: How has the world changed since then? Does p tech 201 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: still address the same problems it was originally meant to solve, 202 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: or have new challenges and opportunities presented themselves over the 203 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: course of the lifetime of p tech. So when, yeah, 204 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: when petech was created, the unemployment rate I think was 205 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: about ten percent after um, you know, the financial crisis. 206 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: And when you look at this big economic shocks that 207 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: we get, like COVID and the financial crisis, they always 208 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: lead to to unemployment. What has been strange about what 209 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: passed not so strange because we see the acceleration of technology, 210 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 1: the next relation of technology has only gone faster and faster. 211 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: Is that even in those types of recession and even 212 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: now when you look at COVID, the jobs that still 213 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: continue to remain on field as still continue to grow 214 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: and be stable at tech jobs. So in a way, 215 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: pe tech has is more relevant now than than ever, 216 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: and there's a recognition of that actually in education systems 217 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: around around the world. So just in the past eighteen months, 218 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: PETE has grown from about in from eight countries to 219 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: twenty five countries. And that's because many policymakers around the 220 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 1: world are now really seeing the need to be adopting 221 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: these types of programs into the public education systems that 222 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: really better prepare people to feel the skills guide, but 223 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: also in a way that creates that opens of opportunity 224 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: for people within communities to be able to get access 225 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: to these jobs. So I would say it's much more 226 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: relevant and now than ever. I'm we're seeing it in 227 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: the adoption rates. If you could speak to some specifics 228 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: and concrete examples, what kind of new tech and tech 229 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: relategy jobs are really emerging today and in the near 230 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: future as opposed to in the recent past. Yes, so 231 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: there are a few jobs that simply I did not 232 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: exist five years ago, but are really very prominent now 233 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: or when past when not as prom prominent. So so 234 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: if we look at cloud and develops jobs, um, there 235 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 1: there are new versions of those now that are relevant 236 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: in the marketplace and that I've developed AI jobs are 237 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: frankly new in many areas. But then if you look 238 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 1: at much more of the stable tech jobs like software development, 239 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 1: UM hardware development, which is something that Eric does, UM, 240 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: you see that there's been not only constant, but they're growing. 241 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: And also what you early is doing is is user 242 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: experience design. We're creating so many more products right now 243 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: that in the hands of consumers that are not mechanical anymore. 244 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: Where it's about how the consumers react with products and 245 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,439 Speaker 1: how they interact with them. So there's just a lot 246 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: of new jobs that have been created, jobs that have 247 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: changed aged. But the most important thing is that the 248 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: acceleration of technology means that this continues to we continue 249 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: to see a very very strong demand in these new jobs. 250 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: So I guess, as you just alluded to it, it's 251 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 1: not just that students who are preparing to enter the 252 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: workforce today need specific technical skills that are relevant to 253 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: the jobs that exist, but they also need to be 254 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: able to adapt to a constantly changing set of requirements 255 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: for for the you know, the technological world we live in. 256 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: So I guess this is a question for all three 257 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: of you. Maybe Joel, we can start with you. Do 258 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: you think adaptation itself is a skill that can be 259 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: taught if the tech industry is constantly and rapidly changing, 260 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: Does the technology education require training on how to adapt 261 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: to new skills? I think what we what we've all experienced, 262 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: I guess as students UM and going through the university 263 00:14:55,360 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: and going through college, and is that the education system 264 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: just changes a little slower than the technology space uh 265 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: and and specifically tech because tech is just moving so 266 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: fast and frankly, it is hard for any sector, even 267 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: policies to catch up. UM. So, what I think is 268 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: unique about Peter in the way that it helps people 269 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: react to change and continue to learn. Is this idea 270 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: that we spend a lot more time with the young people, 271 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: exposing them to what happens in the industry. I think 272 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: giving people a sense of what is happening in the 273 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: industry and having them giving them the chance to work 274 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: with mentors, and giving them the chance to work with 275 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: the internships, seeing how just the things that they play 276 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: with in school, how much it changes by the time 277 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: they get to the internship, how much it changes by 278 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: the time they get to work. It gives us It 279 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: gives them the same experience as we have at work, 280 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: where we know we have to continually learn because it's 281 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: very clear to us in the way we work just 282 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: how much things are changing and that we have to 283 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: keep up our skills. So I think it really starting 284 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: and giving young people that exposure way be for they 285 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: have to face that world is something that I think 286 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: is a critical component of PEA Tech. And so Suhalia 287 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: and Eric, do you have thoughts about this. Did your 288 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: educational experience or does your educational experience incorporate that feeling, 289 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: that feeling that you need to learn how to adapt 290 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: in addition to just learning, you know, what skills are 291 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: required today. Uh? Yeah, I could definitely say that it's 292 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: kind of something you learn while in college or ear 293 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: decided it's not about just prorarium something. It's about learning 294 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: how to fix it. It's about identifying the problem, looking 295 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: at it through multiple UH lenses, and determining what solutions 296 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: are there, and then eliminating those solutions so you get 297 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: to the best one. I personally think that learning to 298 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: adapt doesn't even really only to tech. During my time 299 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: in pe Tech, all of my teachers, whether it be 300 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: in English or social studies. They explained that as time 301 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: goes on, things have to change, and just because you 302 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: learn how to do something one way doesn't mean it's 303 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: always going to be that way. And understanding how to study, 304 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: understanding how to research are all important parts of adapting 305 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: and making yourself a better person so you're better equipped 306 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: to solve problems. All right, let's come back to Joel. 307 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: Here is the need for new technological skills something that 308 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: primarily affects people in the tech industry, say software and 309 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: hardware developers, or does this apply to other fields as well. 310 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:37,639 Speaker 1: We have a belief in the company at IBM that 311 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: all jobs are going to be impacted by by technology. 312 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: So we all, regardless of what we do. When I 313 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:52,159 Speaker 1: say technology, the AI specifically an automation impacting all jobs. 314 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: Um if so, I mean if you if your restaurant 315 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: right now, your interaction with technology is massive, especially during 316 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: of it you're probably feeling, you know, most of your 317 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: your orders and your revenue through a tech interface for 318 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: for for delivery and take out during this period. And 319 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 1: that's just a small example. So we believe that no 320 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: matter what job you're in, it is really important to 321 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: get to understand the technologies that are impacting our lives, 322 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 1: that are very much keen in our lives and are 323 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: changing the nature of our work and are changing the 324 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: nature of our society. One of the things that we've 325 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: done alongside pe tech is to create a platform called 326 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: open p tech, and open pe tech is really focused 327 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: on this. It's about like really helping students, regardless of 328 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: whether they're in p tech or outside p tech, to 329 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: learn about these key technologies that are really transforming our lives. 330 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: And they are cloud, artificial intelligence, there is a cyber u, 331 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: there is blockchain and so and very much design design thinking, 332 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: which is a way of how we solve problems. So 333 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: these are some of the things that I really impacting allies, 334 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 1: and I think everybody needs to understand them because they're 335 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: impacting society, not just jobs. So I'm interested in the 336 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: way that p tech fuses together secondary and post secondary 337 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: education in the one unified pathway. I guess, first Joel, 338 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: what was the thinking behind that design? And then for 339 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: Eric and to Helio, what is that experience? Like, Yeah, 340 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: I'm really interested to hear the experience of Eric and 341 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 1: here and they they're thinking behind that is that pathways 342 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 1: have been proven to impact completion. So they you see 343 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 1: pathways a lot in education programs, and they've been shown 344 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: that when you have built in pathways for students, you 345 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: you help them complete whatever you're trying to get them 346 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 1: to to to the goal. Um So it was another 347 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: thing is that early college students that take part in 348 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: any kind of early college ended up going to college. 349 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: More so, those two things that way existing successful things 350 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: within the education system were into p tech. Um So 351 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 1: this pathway of using both high school and and college 352 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: was something that was already proven to um at least 353 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: they are taking the early college were already proven to 354 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: work for students. The big difference that we brought in 355 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: was that there was a real clear goal right now, 356 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: and the goal was that you leave pe Tech with 357 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: a degree. And so instead of just having early college 358 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: courses where you can take whatever you like and just 359 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 1: have access to early college, this is packaging in such 360 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: a way that you're taking things at all together actually 361 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: deliver you something that all of your early college opportunity 362 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: is really focused on delivering you. This uh, this associate's degree, 363 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: the associates degree is really the goal in p tech 364 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: because the high school diploma, it's something that was created 365 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: in the in the agree and economy, it's not enough 366 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: anymore to take you to really guarantee you a career. 367 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: So but at the same time, you don't need a 368 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: four year degree to be able to get into some 369 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: of the some some really good well paid jobs right now. 370 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: I mean the jobs that is advertising right now do 371 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: not need a four year degree. So there was this 372 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: point about the asocis degree, which is a critical point 373 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: to get students too and using these pathways together to 374 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: allow them to have a strong pathway that was guided 375 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: where they will be housed in a in a in 376 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: a in a high school and don't have a drop 377 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 1: off points where they have to like finish one and 378 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:19,239 Speaker 1: then say okay, I'm going to apply to that and 379 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: move into a different system. Those things have proven to 380 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: help students complete So that's why the pathway and is 381 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: using of those pathways was important in the design and 382 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: uh Eric and to Haley had what are your thoughts 383 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: on this, What was the experience like and did you have, 384 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: say friends or peers to compare the experience with who 385 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: weren't involved in educational pathways that fused together the associate's 386 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: degree with the high school experience the same way. Yeah, 387 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:48,239 Speaker 1: so for me, the experience went pretty smoothly. UM, but 388 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 1: that was fortunate. UM. I think it definitely did sump 389 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 1: me up for success without a doubt in terms of 390 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: like I had exposures to robotics as uh to Haley 391 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: had and uh I did there for basically all my 392 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: years in in high school. And not only that, it 393 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: kind of translated into other courses I took at a 394 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: college level. And in addition to that, it also sets 395 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: up a nice foundation, so I didn't stop at my 396 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: associate's degree. I continue to get my bachelor's. UM. It 397 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: sets a nice foundation in terms of either you could 398 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:32,360 Speaker 1: stop at your associates or not and continue with your bachelor's. 399 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: I would say the p Tech experience is one of 400 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: a kind that there's not anything you could compare it 401 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 1: to if you've been through the traditional high school model, 402 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: because you're taking high school classes alongside your college classes, 403 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 1: and whether that be in the high school or on 404 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,239 Speaker 1: a college campus, they're very different. And when you have 405 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 1: teachers like at my school that weren't a part of 406 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: the p tech staff that would teach you alongside your 407 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: non p tech student colleagues, it was just different seeing 408 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: how everyone reacted to certain situations. I feel like petech 409 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: prepares you more for the outside world, app like after 410 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: high school, what that's gonna look like. Because during my 411 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: time in pe tech, they were like, Hey, this is 412 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: how you set yourself up for the future if you 413 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: want to have an apprenticeship or an internship. And at 414 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: the same time, my high school friends that weren't in 415 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: p tech, we're just going about their high school experience, like, Hey, 416 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: there's a football game on Friday, and I was like, 417 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: I can't I have a test on Monday. For college, 418 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 1: I got to study. So protech really teaches you how 419 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: do you manage your parming yourself pretty well, and because 420 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: of that, I feel like it prepared me a lot 421 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: better for after high school graduation what life was going 422 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: to look like. Okay, oh, that sounds like it comes 423 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 1: back to the question about adaptation, the kind of skills 424 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:09,400 Speaker 1: that are applied to anything. Really Yeah, and I I think, 425 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: I mean Eric somehow managed to just sailed by. But 426 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, when we talk to PETE students, we definitely 427 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: see that the schedule can be grueling, which is wonderful 428 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: that we have so many students who drive through. And 429 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 1: so when we look at the graduates that come, we 430 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: are to our to our business. We finished this, We're 431 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 1: looking at people that we know as seriously motivated UM 432 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: and and I've really shown just by going through this 433 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,679 Speaker 1: program that it means a lot to them and that 434 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: they can work, and that they can they can drive through, 435 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: and that they have discipline. So I think when Joel 436 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: talks about discipline, it really starts the p text students 437 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: apart from traditional high school model students, because when you 438 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: step into the college realm of your course work, your 439 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:59,679 Speaker 1: college teachers look at you and go, hey, I know 440 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: that your sixteen, but I'm not going to treat you 441 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 1: like your sixteen because you're being held to a different 442 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,960 Speaker 1: standard here at the college. And I can't say, you 443 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: know what, they're sixteen, I'm going to grade them differently 444 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: because that's not the point of pe Tech. They're trying 445 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: to give you the skills that adults have so you 446 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 1: can go have a career outside of high school. And 447 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: it was really motivational to be able to see that 448 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: there were other people like me that I knew that 449 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: held the same values and disciplines as I did. Because 450 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: it made the high school. Part of my experience a 451 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: lot easier because there were people whose goals aligned with mine, 452 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,959 Speaker 1: so it was a lot easier to make friends and 453 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: have study groups. So, Joel, let's come back to you. 454 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: What aspects of pe tech are you most proud of. 455 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: I'm really proud about his systemic nature. That it is 456 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: built into the education system. So what I mean is 457 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: it starts to contribute to the body of knowledge that 458 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: we have about like how do we think about the 459 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: education system in the future. So, uh yeah, So I 460 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 1: like the fact that that it's not like a private 461 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: program that you know, a company has created on the site. 462 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: It's actually built, really built in within the public education system, 463 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: where the responsibility still for for the curriculum and everything 464 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: is the same as everywhere else in the public education 465 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,919 Speaker 1: sector and sector. And then the business is coming to 466 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: augment and add this alignment. The other effect of that 467 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: is that we are reaching in and actually making sure 468 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 1: that economic growth is inclusive. Um. So, if I just 469 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: look at our own company, we are firmly creating talent 470 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,920 Speaker 1: and hiring talent from New York and we're making sure 471 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: that by the time we're looking for talent, we are 472 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: not just looking at those who have like uh, you know, 473 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: who've managed to go to Harvard and to m I T. 474 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 1: Which to make sure that we go and give access 475 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 1: to young people to be able to to you know, 476 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: get the qualifications that they need and build the skills 477 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:10,120 Speaker 1: that they need to be able to get access as 478 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: to these jobs. UM. So the talent is there, and 479 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: the talent needs opportunity. So the other part of that 480 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm really proud about it is that we are actually 481 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: creating opportunity for talented young people to be able to 482 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: bring that talent to benefit our business and that way 483 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 1: where we get to grow or when the business is 484 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: growing and then econ and the economy is growing, it's 485 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: it's more inclusive with p TEK. So there's only two 486 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: aspects that I'm really proud of. So, Eric and Shlia, 487 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: a couple of questions for you to um and we'll 488 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: start with you. So, Helia, what would you tell a 489 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:45,679 Speaker 1: student who's considering going down this path? What would you 490 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: tell them about about pe TECH? I would tell them 491 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: it's one of the most rewarding experiences that they could 492 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 1: look back on as long as they're serious about it. 493 00:27:55,960 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: When I look at my experience in high school. I 494 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: would look at the students who didn't take petech as seriously, 495 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,679 Speaker 1: and I would feel bad because they're missing out on 496 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 1: this great opportunity because they don't feel passionate about whatever 497 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: degree we were urging, whether it be cybersecurity, computer science. 498 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 1: So I would tell them, if you're not passionate about 499 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: the degree that you're p tech school offers, don't feel 500 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,720 Speaker 1: like you have to apply because someone said this is 501 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 1: a good idea and you should do it. As long 502 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 1: as you're passionate about what you're learning about and you're 503 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: passionate about making a change in the STEM field, you'll 504 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: be okay. And there are gonna be so many people 505 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: you'll meet along the way that are going to help you, 506 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: whether it be academically or outside of that. In your internships, 507 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: you'll have mentors who will tell you, hey, this is 508 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: how you overcome this fear you have about public speaking. 509 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: I used to be really shy, like something like this 510 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: would have literally brought me to tears, how scared I 511 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: would have been. But my mentor was there and was like, hey, 512 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: baby steps, this is how we're going to accomplish being 513 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: more outspoken and being more of a people person and 514 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: if it wasn't for her, if it wasn't for petech, 515 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be the person I am today. So I 516 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: would tell them be passionate and take it very seriously 517 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity because after 518 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: high school, petech isn't an option. Awesome, what about you, Eric, 519 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: I would definitely tell them if this is the path 520 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: they want to take, because there are different pea techs 521 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: out there, like I think there are even some now 522 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: that are catered to the medical field. Um. So I 523 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: would tell them to make sure that's what you want 524 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: to do, because sometimes you get into it or sometimes 525 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: you're not really passionate about it and you end up 526 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: leaving or you end up not caring. Um. Oh. And 527 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: I would also tell them that, you know, definitely, um, 528 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to take some time out of your 529 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: day to study, take some time out every day to 530 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: really just apply yourself because it is it is a workload, uh, 531 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: but it is rewarding at the end. So I would 532 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: say that the coolest part of pre tech is it's 533 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: gender inclusive. And I'm really proud of the efforts that 534 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: the pre tech model puts forward to include females in 535 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: STEM professions. I remember when I took my first college class, 536 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 1: the class before us that was in the room, there 537 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: were only two girls in the class that left, and 538 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: the rest of the class was boys. And when my 539 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: class entered the room, I looked around and I realized 540 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: there was actually a fifty split of girls and boys 541 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: in that room, and it felt really empowering to know 542 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: that me and my female classmates were going to be 543 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: a part of generation of STEMP professionals that younger girls 544 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: could look up to. And at my school we had 545 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: the she Can stem event every March for Women's History Month, 546 00:30:56,720 --> 00:31:00,320 Speaker 1: which was something I implemented during my time as an 547 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: entering and being able to look at middle school girls 548 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: in the school district and say, hey, I'm a girl 549 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: in a computer profession, which is really crazy considering any 550 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: time you ask them what an engineer looks like, what 551 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: a computer scientist looks like, they usually say someone like 552 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: Steve drops and no offense, but it's always a guy. 553 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: And being able to be a girl that younger girls 554 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 1: could look up to was really cool. And p tech 555 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: is the only platform I've ever seen give women a 556 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 1: chance to say, hey, I enjoy technology, and I'm really 557 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: good at what I do. So they gave us a 558 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: voice to be like, hey, I have something I can 559 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: bring to the table, and it made you feel comfortable 560 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: speaking out. So finally, Joel, what do you see for 561 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: the future for this program and for programs like it? UM, 562 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: I'll send of you my hopes. I hope that they 563 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: continue to to inspire mkas and education leaders about how 564 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: we should be looking. UM had continually improving our education 565 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: system going forward with the world that we have right 566 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: now and with the challenges that we we face. UM, 567 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: I then that's that's so, that's that's my hopes we have. 568 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: P tech is a mature model right now, is ten 569 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: years old, and so it is clear that it's working. 570 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: There has been a report that has just been published 571 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:37,280 Speaker 1: by an independent party m NDRC, which has shown that 572 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: students are actually getting better outcoms as a resort of 573 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: of p tech. We're seeing as more schools mature than 574 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: more of our graduates going to college and getting hired. 575 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: Also in companies like our like ours and there's nobs 576 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: are growing. So from an impact perspective, we we we 577 00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 1: know that it works UM, so we are really looking 578 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: for making sure that that we the publishing poblicy makers 579 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: get inspired by it and and and take it up 580 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: and implemented in as many places as possible. What I'm 581 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: excited about is that I think it's a privilege to 582 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: get to work on some of the problems that we're 583 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: working on as a company. We just by the nature 584 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: of being a large globle company, we get to see 585 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: really interesting problems that are brought to us via clients 586 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 1: that helped to change the world. And I think it's 587 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: wonderful that we are creating the opportunity for people who 588 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: are talented like as Failier and and Eric to be 589 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: able to bring their talents to work on these types 590 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: of problems. It's I think we should make sure that 591 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 1: that people inside to get the chance to work on 592 00:33:47,120 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: world changing things. And so I'm really excited by the 593 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: fact that we are working in areas where we're giving 594 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: students real opportunity to take that talents and contribute to 595 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: work problems that they can be really proud it off. 596 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: And so and then so I want to see pe 597 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 1: Tech in more states, in more schools, and just continue 598 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: to see the model grow both in the US and internationally. 599 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 1: All Right, well, thanks again to Joel so Halia and 600 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 1: Eric for chatting with us today. Again, if you want 601 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 1: to hear more from this series, you can look up 602 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: the episodes of our show as well as episodes of 603 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 1: tech Stuff labeled smart Talks. To learn more about smart Talks, 604 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 1: you can go to IBM dot com slash smart Talks, 605 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: and to read more about p tech you can check 606 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 1: out www dot PTech dot org. And of course, if 607 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:36,919 Speaker 1: you want to hear other episodes of Stuff to Blow 608 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 1: Your Mind, you can find us wherever you get your 609 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:42,840 Speaker 1: podcast huge thanks as always to our excellent audio producer 610 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: Seth Nicholas Johnson. If you would like to get in 611 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: touch with us with feedback on this episode or any other, 612 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: to suggest a topic for the future, or just to 613 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 1: say hello, you can email us at contact at stuff 614 00:34:53,080 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 1: to Blow your Mind dot com. Stuff to Blow Your 615 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 1: Mind is production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts 616 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:07,879 Speaker 1: for My Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 617 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.