CYBER P-TECH, USA AT SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL
Cyber P-TECH at Sam Houston High School opened August 2019 as the
only Pathways in Technology Early College High School in San Antonio. It has a focus on preparing students with the skills, credentials
and an industry-specific associate degree necessary for high-wage,
high-demand careers in cybersecurity.
Under the model, within four to six years, students will be able to
earn a high school diploma, an associate degree, a two-year
post-secondary certificate or industry certification, and complete
work-based training through internships, apprenticeships or other
job-training programs!
The program at Sam Houston High School is a school within a
school model. Applications for next school year’s incoming 9th graders will be accepted Nov. 5 – Jan. 31 from students throughout Bexar County. It will ultimately become a full 9-12th grade high school,
with a new grade being phased in each year.
The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 22 in 2017, paving the way
for school districts to work with the Texas Education Agency to launch
P-TECH programs. In the P-TECH model, schools partner with Texas
institutions of higher education and regional businesses and industries,
giving students post-secondary education and workforce training
opportunities.
Education Partner
Cyber P-TECH at Sam Houston will partner with St. Philip’s College,
within the Alamo Colleges District. St. Philip's
College has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
Through St. Philip’s, Cyber P-TECH students will have the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist
degree. The degree will prepare students to design, implement and
secure computer networks. Students with this degree will be able to
install security software, monitor networks for security breaches,
respond to cyber-attacks and gather data and evidence to be used in
prosecuting cybercrime.
As early as students’ second year in the program, they will be able
to earn an Information Technology industry certification. As high school
juniors, they will have the opportunity to earn CompTIA Linux and
CompTIA Security certifications. By the fall of their senior year, they
will be able to earn an Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist
Level 1 certificate. As early as the spring of their senior year,
students can earn associate degrees specifically tied to the
cybersecurity industry.
Industry Partners
Students also will have the opportunity to learn from industry
partners and gain real-world experience through mentorships, job
shadowing, internships, professional skills development and field
experiences. Students who complete the program will have priority in
interviewing with participating employers.
The anchor industry partner is Accenture Federal Services,
which created an apprenticeship program in San Antonio to provide
under-represented groups greater access to digital-economy jobs while
building a pipeline of talent to help address the widening technology
skills gap. The company has more than 30 years of cybersecurity
experience serving clients who are at the heart of the nation’s
priorities in defense, intelligence, public safety, health and civilian
issues – including every cabinet-level department within the federal
government.
Additional industry partners include DC Industries, MIMS Institute Fellows Inc. and Tech Skills on Wheels. Other partners are expected to sign on in the coming weeks and months.
Student Enrollment
Cyber P-TECH, USA operates as a school within a school at Sam
Houston High School on a lottery system. The school is
based on 100% open enrollment, with no barriers for attendance.
The program is led by
Ashlyn Barrientes, P-TECH director at Sam Houston High School.
Advantages
Students will work with top-notch companies who will partner as
instructors and mentors. Students will also be trained to become more
self-aware, emotionally healthy, persistent and resilient.