In May, Armando Rodriguez will graduate from the Sarah E. Good STEM Academy. He will be in his junior year at Illinois Institute of Technology by August thanks to his three associate degrees earned during high school.
“My journey through high school, which began with an ambition to graduate with an associate degree, was a transformative experience,” Rodriguez said. “In order to do the work I did, I had to take regular classes starting in my freshman year, but my sophomore year I started taking more high school classes, and my junior year and his senior year, I had to take regular classes. I can now focus all my attention on my university classes.”
Rodriguez was one of 85 high school students who participated in a pilot cybersecurity program launched last year. This program provides juniors and seniors across CPS schools the opportunity to explore careers in cybersecurity.
Now, a three-way partnership between Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago Public Schools, and City Colleges of Chicago aims to provide CPS students with a clear, accelerated path to in-demand, high-paying careers .
Officials from the three educational institutions announced Wednesday plans to expand the program, called “Runway 606,” to include eligible students at all CPS high schools.
Previously, the pilot program was only available to CPS Early College STEAM schools.
Interested students can take courses at City College of Chicago (under the dual enrollment system) between their junior year and high school and earn an associate's degree by the time they graduate, or earn an associate's degree after graduation. Reduce the time it takes.
Illinois Institute of Technology President Raj Echambadi said the program's long-term goal is to develop the next generation of technology leaders.
“Technology is permeating every part of our society,” Echambadi said. “So if students and learners don't have technology, obviously society, communities, cities, states, and nations suffer. This is a very small step for us, but for Chicago I hope it will be a big leap forward.”
Echambadi said the program focuses on mentorship and a holistic approach to student success, and Runway 606 is a “great addition to the scale.”
“We don’t want it to be a small program for 10 or 20 people,” he said. “It’s about strengthening the ecosystem.”
The idea is simple. The CPS High School Accelerated Pathway will allow high school students to move from high school to a master's degree faster, potentially cutting the time by more than two years, said Andrew Chipman, director of early college for Chicago Public Schools. There is a gender.
Chipman said students who graduate on time in four years and earn an associate's degree at the same time are using summer break and school time to accomplish that.
“The real benefit is that they can earn and transfer a large amount of early college credits from City College,” Chipman said, adding that the ideal target group for the Pathways program is current sophomores or rising juniors. It added. “To actually get on that path to earning 60 credits or an associate's degree and get the most out of your bachelor's and master's degrees over the next four years, students should start at the end of their sophomore year.”
For example, Rodriguez is currently enrolled in six classes at City College and is eyeing a career in cybersecurity.
“I believe in the idea that today technology is like a house and you can't leave the house without a lock on the door. Cybersecurity is like the lock on the door,” he explains. Did. “It keeps your home safe.”
In addition to earning an associate's degree in cybersecurity from Richard J. Daley, one of Chicago's seven city colleges, Rodriguez holds a two-year degree in computer science and networking.
Fatima Patel, a senior at Infinity Math, Science & Technology High School, also received an associate degree in computer information systems from Richard J. Daley.
“Simply put, cybersecurity is about protecting the digital world from attacks, especially in this day and age where the internet is part of everyday life,” Patel said. “From protecting sensitive information to protecting the digital realm, online security is critical.”
Patel is part of a group of 85 students who pioneered the Runway 606 program last year and will attend Illinois Institute of Technology in the fall.
“I’m excited about college life and getting to dive deeper into cybersecurity courses as a real college student,” Patel said.
City Colleges of Chicago President Juan Salgado reminded the high school students in attendance Wednesday that these career-changing educational partnerships are completely student-centered.
“Today is about not just dreaming and talking, but actually doing for Chicago families and Chicago students,” Salgado said. “I'm ready. I'm ready for college, I'm ready for an associate's degree, I'm ready for cybersecurity.”
Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said the technology field, including the cybersecurity path, is a gateway to professional success and financial security.
According to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career opportunities for information security analysts are expected to grow by 32% between 2022 and 2032, with median salaries for people in these jobs at It is expected to cost $112,000. The annual average amount is significantly higher than the national median.
Runway 606's design lays a solid foundation for partnering with more universities in the future, Martinez said. The program is built on growth and collaboration, rather than one-off initiatives that end in each grade, he added.
“We weren't just interested in a partnership to give students more college credits. Ultimately, that's how we evaluate, and I put a lot of emphasis on measuring success. ,” Martinez said. “But when we came to our first meeting, what struck me was the words I heard: 'We will support our children,' 'We will have mentors,' 'Inclusive. We will provide support.” When will we hear something like that from universities? ”
Officials from CPS, City University and Illinois Institute of Technology said the program's “2+2+2 model” is unique. This will take her two years of high school (middle and high school), his two years to get his bachelor's degree from Illinois Institute of Technology, and another two years to get his master's degree from Illinois Institute of Technology.
