More than 170 Syracuse high school students signed letters of intent Thursday to earn their associates degrees at Onondaga Community College while also earning their high school diplomas. The P-TECH or Pathways in Technology Early College High School program is tuition-free. Students are enrolled in courses ranging from Electromechanical and Mechanical Technology to Health Sciences and Computer Information Systems.
“They’re studying circuits, how they’re built… they’re actually in partnership with Micron,” said program alumnus and Computer Chip Technology instructor William DeJesus. “So, they’re actually learning semiconductor clean room environments and how to actually build electrical circuits and how conductors work.”
Graduates of the program are landing local jobs. DL Manufacturing in North Syracuse, which makes high-speed doors for refrigerated spaces to chill grocery store products is one of the companies hiring them.
“Right now, I’m revising all their manuals for different products and me and a couple other of my coworkers we’re developing new products for warehouse safety devices,” Shew Way, a 2024 alumnus who is interested in Electrical Engineering. “I’m a very hands-on person, so anything where I could take my creativity and make something new, that would be my dream job.”
Way said she is planning to further pursue dual Science and Engineering degrees at Syracuse University. An OCC spokesperson said many of the students choose to study at SU with plans to live and work in Central New York after they graduate.
