When Gabe started high school in 2019, he had no idea he was taking the first step toward a career in life sciences.
“I’ll be honest — my parents kind of threw me into the P-TECH program,” he laughs. “I wasn’t sure what I was getting into.”
But one field trip changed everything.
During his freshman year, Gabe’s class visited Agilent Technologies, a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics located just down the road from his school in Frederick, Colorado.
“I remember looking through the windows and thinking how fascinating it all was,” he recalls. “I wondered if this might be a path I’d want to take someday.”
Fast forward a few years, and that spark became a career. After completing an internship with Agilent, where he gained hands-on experience and formed connections with mentors who believed in him, Gabe was hired as a Manufacturing Chemist shortly after graduating high school.
A Pathway to Opportunity
P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) is part of the Colorado BioScience Institute’s Classroom program, where the Institute serves as the liaison between local Frederick High School and life sciences employers. The program gives students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree at no cost, while gaining real workplace experience and mentorship from industry professionals.
This work is made possible through strong support from industry partners including Agilent Technologies, CordenPharma, KBI Biopharma, and Umoja Biopharma, each helping students explore real career pathways and build valuable skills in the life sciences.
“It was definitely a lot of hard work,” Gabe says.
“We earned 63 college credits while still in high school. But it pays off in the end. I graduated without debt and with a career path I really love.”
Gabe says the internship experience at Agilent was especially meaningful. Over five weeks, students rotated through multiple departments, gaining a behind-the-scenes understanding of how life-saving therapies are developed.
“We got hands-on experience and saw how all the little moving parts come together,” he explains. “It gave me a real appreciation for how complex and important this industry is.”
Paying It Forward
Today, Gabe is not only building DNA and RNA strands that help treat rare diseases, but he’s also helping to inspire the next generation of P-TECH students as a mentor.
“I try to teach students what I’ve learned about networking, communication, and work ethic,” he says. “Even if you don’t think you need to talk to a certain person now, those connections can always come in handy later.”
Why Support Matters
Programs like P-TECH, and the student success stories they create, are made possible through community and donor support.
“I want donors to know how much this really does change lives,” Gabe says.
“Students are going to college before anyone else in their families, graduating without debt, and getting a head start in great careers.”
He also sees firsthand how much the life sciences industry in Colorado is growing, and how vital it is to prepare the future workforce.
“This industry is expanding fast,” he says. “Agilent is even getting ready to open a new building here in Frederick. We’re going to need a lot of people — and programs like P-TECH are how we build that talent.”
Help Advance Our Mission
This Colorado Gives Day, help more students like Gabe discover their potential and launch meaningful STEM careers.
The Colorado BioScience Institute aims to raise $15,000 this December to support hands-on STEM education, workforce training, and life sciences learning across Colorado.
Your donation fuels pathways from the classroom to the lab — and helps ensure Colorado’s life sciences industry continues to thrive with skilled, passionate talent.
Donate early starting November 1 and join the Colorado BioScience Institute as we work to cultivate and diversify the state’s life sciences workforce, from classroom, to campus, to career: https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/ColoradoBioScienceInstitute.
Together, we can open doors for future innovators like Gabe.