With more rigorous classes, bigger expectations and new responsibilities to sort out, their eventual career paths probably aren't on the forefront of their minds.
A program created through a partnership between the Community College of Allegheny County and BNY Mellon is hoping to change that by introducing high school students to a variety of careers and allow them to earn job certificates or college credits.
The Early College High School program, which launched in 2021 by accepting students from a couple of area high schools, is greatly expanding this year and is open to students from Allegheny County public high schools and some private schools. The program aims to help students from traditionally underserved communities while investing in the future workforce of the region.
"The program essentially is designed to eliminate all barriers from students to pursue the degree," said Charlene Newkirk, southeast region president of CCAC. "All the tuition is paid for, they are given resources to support them, and we target high schools in particular that have low college-going rates. We want to lift students up and provide them with opportunities to make jobs part of their lives so that they have family sustaining wages in the end."
Students have the opportunity to study three fields — business management, accounting and information technology — and can earn credits toward a college degree or a job certificate if they complete the program.
Ideally, students would start the program when they are freshmen. Ninth and 10th graders will participate in noncredit virtual sessions led by professionals from the various fields of study during the fall, spring and summer.
When students are in 11th and 12th grade, they select the subject they want to study more closely and follow the normal CCAC academic calendar, taking classes alongside college students. Students can take classes at any of CCAC's four campuses or online.
"Students are excited to go there," said Kristopher Stubbs, executive director of enrollment services at CCAC. "They're meeting with students from all over the area, so it's something they look forward to."
In its first year, only students from Baldwin- Whitehall and Steel Valley high schools were eligible for the program. But the COVID-19 pandemic hit as recruiting was just getting started, limiting the number of participants.
The virtual options that became available because of the pandemic, however, helped CCAC expand the program to students countywide this year.
"Moving to a virtual environment just allowed us to really think about how we can make this bigger and broader," Ms. Newkirk said. "Now we have it so that we don't have to offer the classes in a classroom unless a student wants to be there in 11th and 12th grade."
The program was formed after BNY Mellon in 2020 pledged $20 million over multiple years to educational and workforce development programming at academic and job training organizations. CCAC received $5 million of that funding for the early college program as well as its larger capital campaign.
"The region's colleges and universities are an important pipeline of educated talent for employee needs today and in the future," said Kendra Wotkyns, vice president of the BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. "And as we're thinking about how to partner with educational institutions and talking with CCAC about the potential of developing this early college and high school program, we really felt like they ticked all of those boxes that we were looking for."
Both CCAC and BNY Mellon said they believe that supporting students now will be a boon for key industries looking to hire talent in the region in the future.
"Having that early start, not only is it cost-beneficial for these students, but it also allows them to have that college and career readiness," Mr. Stubbs said. "It's a melting pot of support and also development to help these students grow."
Parents, guardians and students who are interested in the program can email earlycollegeprogram@ccac.edu for information about whether their school is involved. School administrators can also contact CCAC if they are interested in partnering.
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