Fostering Community & Mentorship, Virtually at Capital Region P-TECH

P-TECH Partners Pivot in response to the Pandemic

It has been a year since schools moved online and companies shifted to remote work. Without a blueprint or recipe to follow, the pandemic halted life as we know it. Students have faced challenges at greater magnitudes than ever before.

In March, Capital Region P-TECH – Albany, New York, transitioned to virtual learning and knew now, more than ever, their P-TECH students needed the support of mentors to guide them.

Through the strong support from their business partners, ADNET Technologies, Alaant Workforce Solutions, Albany Business Review, Albany Can Code, CAP COM Federal Credit Union, MVP Health Care, Price Chopper/Market 32, and mentors, they pivoted to the virtual drawing board.

Without skipping a beat, mentors closed the Spring 2020 semester on a high note by completing monthly mentor sessions, and planning and executing a virtual summer experience where students learned the seven IBM Professional Skills.

“The experiences with the mentors opened my eyes to the possibilities for my future. They helped me narrow my thoughts to think about where I wanted to be in 10 or 15 years, the pathways to get there, and how I can be financially free to achieve the goals that I developed on my vision board.”
Adonis Cyrus, 11th-grade student.

Project-based Virtual Mentorship Prepares Students for the Future

At Capital Region P-TECH, mentorship has not been slowed down by the pandemic and has been driven by the connections mentors can build across project-based lessons. Check out what virtual mentor events they hosted to prepare their 11th graders for a bright future:

  • – P-TECH students visualized their dreams by creating digital vision boards with a career coach from Hammock Way of Life.
  • – The learning continued as mentors from Cap COM Federal Credit Union had the students apply their financial literacy and savings skills to their recently created vision boards.
  • – Ending the series strong, P-TECH students developed SMART goals for their vision board dreams, with the Capital Region Career Centers.
  • – Monthly sessions honing their resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills.

Although schools have shifted to distance learning, and employees have moved to remote work, one thing that remains unchanged is P-TECH mentors’ passion for helping students learn and grow.

“I serve as a P-TECH mentor because I am passionate about making a difference and making an impact in the students’ lives. As this past year unfolded it was especially important to remain connected with the students to allow them to see that no matter what life may throw at them if they have a positive attitude and work hard that they can make anything happen!”
Banking Advocate, CAP COM Federal Credit Union

Capital Region P-TECH serves as a remarkable example of how the readiness to pivot mixed with the passion for supporting students is the secret ingredient needed to navigate unprecedented times.

Want to develop impactful virtual P-TECH mentorship experiences?

After a year of learning and pivoting, Capital Region P-TECH’s coordinator Karen Fox shares her top five virtual mentorship tips and strategies.