Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB) have announced the 2021 CNY P-TECH Business Partnership of the Year award winners.
The Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs in the Syracuse City and Auburn School Districts are supported by PEB. However, they could not be nearly as impactful without their local business partners.
These programs enable students to start taking college courses while in high school with the ultimate goal being the simultaneous receipt of a high school diploma and an Associate Degree in a concentrated field of study. The current programs are in Engineering, Computer Science, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, and Health Professions.
While many local businesses support these programs, the four companies listed below are the 2021 Business Partnership of the Year award recipients.
Founded in 1953, Eagle Metalcraft, Inc. has grown and added state-of-the-art Laser Cutting, CNC machining and Turning centers and earned a reputation as a premier Sheet Metal Fabricator. They jumped at the opportunity to provide a presentation on CNC Machining and engage with students through design challenges this past school year. Engineering/Quality Manager Chris Pallay went above and beyond in connecting students in a virtual format. His presentation included a great deal of photos and video content of the machines at work. Pallay provided a laser cut sign depicting the MACNY logo and created metal Auburn P-TECH laser cut business cards for the students. He also provided feedback to students who built small catapults and assisted the students in their Engineering Wars challenge, at which he volunteered to help with the project build days.
With offices in Endicott, Ithaca and Syracuse, ICS New York has worked with clients for over 30 years to develop solutions to meet all their technology and telecommunication needs, providing 24/7/365 support. Ethan Tancredi, Director of the Syracuse Region, serves on the P-TECH Steering Committee for the Computer Information Systems Program at Fowler High School in the Syracuse City School District. Tancredi also serves as a career coach for students and has recruited other ICS employees to do the same. This year, he provided the students with real-life work challenges to tackle. Ethan has also assisted with the Syracuse and East Syracuse Minoa School Districts’ Summer Bridge programs, providing incoming 9th and 10th grade students with support, and sharing his passion and expertise for the technology field.
Loretto has been a business partner with our P-TECH health-related programs for several years, providing career coaches. Last year they offered two scholarships in advanced nursing. This year Michelle DeTota, Director of Workforce Development, served as a presenter for two virtual Career Connections events held in April for Syracuse City School District graduating students. Teresa Mosher, Director of Skilled Nursing Education, delivered a comprehensive presentation about job opportunities at Loretto in clinical roles, food service and housekeeping. As we embark on a much larger Health Professions student population at Henninger High School this year, PEB knows Loretto will be there to assist.
“The healthcare industry is experiencing a nationwide staffing shortage, so there is an urgent need to help train future professionals in every area where Loretto provides service,” said Dr. Kimberly Townsend, President and CEO at Loretto. “Loretto’s workforce development, training, and overall culture can create truly life-changing opportunities for our employees. That includes investing in partnerships that support our current staff, as well as investing in opportunities to reach the students who will become the next generation of professionals here in CNY.”
Saab, Inc. has two locations in the Syracuse area that are focused on commercial air traffic management and on defense and security. Members of the engineering team quickly became involved as career coaches with the Auburn and Syracuse P-TECH programs. Volunteers were instrumental in engaging students through discussions on workplace safety, design challenge activities and a workplace learning challenge where students worked in teams to provide a solution to the problem Saab had presented. Students were also happy to receive help during the project-build days for the Engineering Wars competition.
“Saab is always looking for ways to attract and develop talent, especially in technical roles. The P-TECH program provides a great service to the students in the Central New York area who are interested in careers in technology,” said Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab, Inc. “We are so proud of the Saab employees who support the program, and we look forward to seeing the P-TECH students continue to excel in their preparation for careers in the technology sector. Hopefully some of them will work for Saab one day.”
It is because of the assistance from companies like the ones recognized above, which inform students about their organizations and what positions they hire, that PEB is able to prepare Central New York students for various local opportunities. It is critical to the P-TECH mission that business partners are involved.