Idaho PTECH: Proactive coaching helps rural Idaho high school students prepare for careers in key industries
The Opportunity
In rural communities around the country, high school students seeking meaningful career pathways are often met with limited access — especially for in-state educational and career opportunities. The Idaho Pathways to Early Career High School (PTECH) program was created to connect high school students to training and employment opportunities in their communities. But how could the program best support these rural students? That’s where InsideTrack came in.
The Opportunity
In rural communities around the country, high school students seeking meaningful career pathways are often met with limited access — especially for in-state educational and career opportunities. The Idaho Pathways to Early Career High School (PTECH) program was created to connect high school students to training and employment opportunities in their communities. But how could the program best support these rural students? That’s where InsideTrack came in.
The Solution
Through this federally funded program, juniors in rural Idaho high schools could opt into the PTECH program, gaining access to community college classes and a coach to guide them along the way. Coaches worked with students to complete high school and continue on through two years of their post-secondary program, ultimately supporting students to earn a certificate or degree that could connect them to an in-demand, well-paying job pathway.
The Solution
Through this federally funded program, juniors in rural Idaho high schools could opt into the PTECH program, gaining access to community college classes and a coach to guide them along the way. Coaches worked with students to complete high school and continue on through two years of their post-secondary program, ultimately supporting students to earn a certificate or degree that could connect them to an in-demand, well-paying job pathway.
Proven Results
The Impact
The Idaho PTECH program quickly gained momentum, with 800 students opting into working with an InsideTrack coach for support as they sought the education and skills needed for in-demand jobs in their area. Rural high school students from all over the state talked with coaches on the phone or touched base by text over the four years they worked to complete their program.
Every coaching interaction assessed the student’s priorities and aspirations, aiming to advance students toward their goals. They worked on everything from balancing life with school to creating a solid plan to complete their next steps, developing soft skills, and building motivation by envisioning themselves in the role they were working toward.
An impressive 68.7 percent of former students indicated they had gone on to post-secondary training — a rate 23.7 percent higher than Idaho’s previous go-on rate of 45 percent. This program directly connected high school students to emerging industries like information technology, medical assisting and airplane maintenance — jump-starting the local economy while fueling career opportunity for the students in the program.
The Impact
The Idaho PTECH program quickly gained momentum, with 800 students opting into working with an InsideTrack coach for support as they sought the education and skills needed for in-demand jobs in their area. Rural high school students from all over the state talked with coaches on the phone or touched base by text over the four years they worked to complete their program.
Every coaching interaction assessed the student’s priorities and aspirations, aiming to advance students toward their goals. They worked on everything from balancing life with school to creating a solid plan to complete their next steps, developing soft skills, and building motivation by envisioning themselves in the role they were working toward.
An impressive 68.7 percent of former students indicated they had gone on to post-secondary training — a rate 23.7 percent higher than Idaho’s previous go-on rate of 45 percent. This program directly connected high school students to emerging industries like information technology, medical assisting and airplane maintenance — jump-starting the local economy while fueling career opportunity for the students in the program.
Alan Millar
Founder and Executive Director at Idaho PTECH
Learn how InsideTrack coaching supported PTECH students to find meaningful career pathways.
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