Get Ahead This Summer: Learn New Tech Skills from Home
Take advantage of IBM’s FREE online resource helping students and adults learn the skills needed to land fast-growing jobs across fields like cybersecurity, cloud computing, and digital design
GUEST: Guillermo Miranda, Global Head, IBM Corporate Social Responsibility
Background
Summer is finally here, though it’s going to look and feel different than summers past: many seasonal experiences and vacations usually occurring in-person will continue to take place online. For students and adults who are looking to make the most of this newfound time by getting ahead of a new school year or new job search, there are a number of programs and opportunities to learn new skills. For example, Open P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) is a free online resource that provides opportunities to learn new skills, refine old ones, and better prepare for the jobs of the future. The platform offers content in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Research shows there are currently hundreds of thousands of open jobs in technology, and employers looking to fill those jobs aren’t just looking at a candidate’s previous work experience or degree: they want the people with the right skills to do the job. This creates new opportunity for those who can pick up the skills they need to work in fast-growing technology fields like cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital design.
Open PTECH, created by IBM and leading education partners, equips young people and educators around the world with knowledge about topics like AI, cloud computing and more — as well as professional skills like resume writing and interviewing — all for free. Open P-TECH, which already has ~40,000 users, includes free digital learning for anyone about the tech and professional skills needed to success in today’s job market, including:
· Courses with engaging videos and educational games that unpack complex topics such as Artificial Intelligence and “the cloud”, as well as professional skills like Design Thinking by introducing all the foundational knowledge needed
· And, a teacher-friendly digital library and platform for professional development and blended learning allows teachers to become familiar with technologies such as artificial intelligence, Blockchain, cybersecurity, cloud, and quantum computing.
Students who want to explore topics more deeply can also earn digital badges, offering students a cost-free way to demonstrate their knowledge and skills as they apply for employment or higher education.
Open P-TECH builds on the success of IBM’s education model, P-TECH, which was designed and launched in 2011 to educate students so they have the skills to fill gaps in the job market and help the next generation of business and technology leaders succeed. P-TECH is a direct response to the challenge of STEM skills shortages, as well as lack of access to high quality education among underserved youth. The model has rapidly expanded and is currently in 24 countries at over 200 schools and with 600 industry partners.
Summer is the perfect time to begin learning new tech skills with Open P-TECH, and preparing yourself for the future. We are making IBM’s Guillermo Miranda available to discuss the program, how educators and students can get involved, and IBM’s commitment to the workforce of the future.
