Longmont High School is gearing up for a new addition next year, the new P-TECH business pathway program! Beginning next year, Longmont high school will be offering a P-TECH program with an emphasis on business and entrepreneurship. In addition to their high school diploma, students will have the opportunity to earn a no-cost Associate of Arts degree and get a head start on their careers entering the workforce.

A large portion of the new business driven P-TECH program is the outstanding mentorship and internship opportunities students will have access too. P-TECH has partnered with the City of Longmont, the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, Front Range Community College, and many more local organizations to give students these rare opportunities. Scott Cook, the President and CEO of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce comments that he hopes, “students are introduced to a wide variety of career options that they never would have considered without the help of the P-TECH program”.

These collaborations and mentorships that students will receive provide them with workforce force development and professional experiences. The P-TECH program gives students a competitive advantage when they enter the workforce and actively prepares them for a career in business and entrepreneurship. Brandon Shaffer, SVVSD’s Community Outreach and P-TECH director explains that, “Beyond access, P-TECH prepares students through a robust workforce readiness curriculum and practical experiences with industry mentors and internships. These experiences will be infused into the curriculum from the beginning and reinforced at every opportunity”. The P-TECH program is intended to create a public-private partnership to prepare thousands of Colorado students for the high-skill jobs of the future. Read the full interview with Brandon Schaffer below.

How have you been an active member in creating the P-tech business program at Longmont High School?

We started working on the Longmont Business program in the fall of 2021. That’s when we had our first meetings with Mr. McMurry and his leadership team to brainstorm ideas around the new program.

Have you been involved in the curriculum portion of this program?

Yes, however, my role in the curriculum portion has been one of a connector. I brought the leadership team from Front Range Community College together with Mr. McMurry and his administrators to discuss the focus of the new P-TECH and to work out the details of the curriculum. Ultimately, this has been a group effort between Front Range Community College and Longmont High School.

Have you been involved in industry collaboration?

Yes, my role was to recruit industry partners to join our collaboration. I’ve met with the City of Longmont, the Longmont Chamber of Commerce, the Longmont Downtown Development Authority, the Longmont Economic Development Partnership, and the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County. All of them have agreed to collaborate with us in building this P-TECH.

How do you hope this program will impact student success during and after high school?

I’m excited about this P-TECH! Students who complete this program will have many options after graduating. This P-TECH will be built around a “guaranteed transfer” degree pathway, which means that credits earned through the program will be 100% transferable into any Colorado 4-year college or university. Students will be prepared to directly enter the workforce by the time they complete the program, AND they will have earned two years of free college. That’s pretty special.

How do you hope this program will give students a competitive advantage in the workforce?

Advanced education opens doors for employment opportunities. With the foundational skills students will learn in the P-TECH program, they will be equipped to go directly into the workforce for high-demand positions in local businesses. Beyond access, P-TECH prepares students through a robust workforce readiness curriculum and practical experiences with industry mentors and internships. These experiences will be infused into the curriculum from the beginning and reinforced at every opportunity. Students will gain insights into the professional world that will give them a competitive advantage in the workforce.

How will community involvement and collaboration benefit students while participating in the P-tech program?

Community involvement is essential to the experiential learning aspect of the program. Students will “learn by doing” while engaged in P-TECH. The robust curriculum and instruction from FRCC will provide the knowledge base to explore new opportunities. Through our industry partners, students will be exposed to a variety of disciplines around the community.

How are you connecting FRCC to the P-tech program in order to create curriculum materials, support materials for students, and professional development opportunities?

FRCC is an essential partner in this new endeavor. While the program is physically located at Longmont High School, FRCC has prescribed the curriculum for the program, and several of its instructors will teach P-TECH classes. FRCC will also provide counseling and support to students. Students are enrolled in FRCC when they are in the 9th grade and have access to all the amenities and services provided to any other FRCC student.

How are you planning on ensuring mentorships, internships, and job placement opportunities for students?

Our counselors will work closely with industry partners to identify mentorships and internship opportunities. The mentorships start when students enter the 9th grade. Our industry partners will recruit mentors and they will be matched with students through Longmont High’s counseling office. Internships will be available to students following their junior year. We will work with industry partners to identify appropriate educational experiences and structure real-world internships for our students during the summer.

About the Author
Sienna Arellano is the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce Education Committee intern. She is a sophomore at Niwot High School. Sienna belongs to several computer science tech teams at the Innovation Center as Computer Science and Cyber Security is her passion. She loves to travel, play volleyball, tennis, and participate in any Longmont community activities or local events.