Idaho PTECH expands coaching initiative
—Courtesy photo Jimmy Soderberg said he was able to realize what he wanted to pursue as a career through the Idaho PTECH program. He also credits the program with helping get his to his current job as a support technician for Kochava.
SANDPOINT — The Idaho PTECH Network has announced the expansion of its partnership with InsideTrack, the leading provider of student success coaching, to provide rural high school students statewide with personalized support and valuable professional and technical skills that will lead to employment in the state’s high-growth industries. From their mobile phones or other digital devices, students can message their coach, ask important questions and get immediate responses, and have access to informative videos or resources to explore promising career pathways aligned to their personal interests.
With 61 percent of jobs in Idaho requiring a technical or advanced degree by 2018, but only one-third of the state’s residents qualified to fill those positions, there is a growing disconnect between education and workforce needs. Launched in 2014 as an innovative pilot, the Idaho PTECH initiative aims to bridge this skills gap by providing rural high school students with educational opportunities and executive-style coaching to develop the critical skills that today’s employers seek.
Idaho PTECH leaders designed the program to meet the unique needs of Idaho students, many of whom live in rural areas. To reach those students, PTECH partnered with InsideTrack to provide remote coaching to students with the goal of building a robust talent pipeline to prepare students for entry into the state’s workforce. The new expansion greatly increases the number of students accessing professional coaching through one-to-one meetings, text messages, and email outreach, along with access to self-guided content through InsideTrack’s uCoach® web and mobile apps.
“Nationwide, with one in 10 students attending a school in a remote or fringe district, providing access to high-quality educational opportunities for these students is one of the most significant challenges we face today,” said Alan Millar, founder and executive director of Idaho PTECH. “Using InsideTrack’s innovative remote coaching, we’re able to support students regardless of their geographic location. Building out Idaho’s talent pipeline not only meets the demands of Idaho’s workforce and enhances our state’s overall economic success, but it also ensures individual career success for our students.”
Idaho PTECH students include those at Priest River Lamanna, Clark Fork, Forrest Bird Charter, and Sandpoint high schools as well as others throughout the state, including the Idaho Distance Education Academy.
“When I started at PTECH, I was shown what a career in technology entailed, and I immediately realized this was something I loved and had a natural talent for,” said Jimmy Soderberg, a high school graduate from Sagle, who credits the PTECH program for getting him to his current role as a support technician for Kochava, a mobile analytics company based in Sandpoint. “Through PTECH, I was able to realize what I wanted to pursue and my PTECH coaches were able to show me the right path to get to where I wanted to go.”
Building on the initial partnership that began in 2014, Idaho PTECH leverages InsideTrack’s proven methodology, innovative technology, and professional coaching team to provide the program’s students with the support they need to choose a career pathway, complete their education, and secure well-paying employment in high-demand industries.
“Idaho PTECH’s unique approach to student success and career readiness offers an exceptional example of how evidence-based, technology-driven student support can amplify the impact of educational programs and improve a state’s workforce pipeline,” said Pete Wheelan, CEO of InsideTrack. “We’re excited to expand our partnership with Idaho PTECH to provide even more students with opportunities to explore promising career pathways and develop the skills needed to be successful in today’s workforce.”
For over 15 years, InsideTrack has provided high quality coaching to more than 1.3 million students at over 1,600 academic programs nationwide by combining professional coaching, technology, and data analytics to increase completion and career readiness.