In year 2022:

Philly Tech Gateway became PAI's first-ever after-school program. This new initiative is teaching West Philadelphia student residents valuable software development & web design skills in partnership with Coded by Kids.

In year 2019:

PAI celebrated its 50th Anniversary and launched a Middle School Initiative designed to foster career awareness, provide career exploration opportunities and support students in actively engaging in their high school selection.

In year 2018:

Based on an internal self-assessment and realignment, PAI diversified its portfolio of work to include a broad K-12 Career-Connected Learning framework.PAI launched its 9th Grade Success Network initiative, supporting school administrators and teaching teams with effective teaming, data utilization, and student intervention planning.

In year 2017:

Jay Vazquez became President and CEO.

In year 2013:

The All-Academy model was launched at Abraham Lincoln and Roxborough High Schools.

In year 2010:

The Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority (PCCA), the City of Philadelphia, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania agree to reserve $1-$2M in funds in the Authority’s annual operating budget for Education and Training, identifying PAI as one of the recipients of these on-going funds.

In year 2008:

MDRC, a national education and social policy research organization, formally recognizes the Career Academy model as an evidence-based model after finding that Career Academy graduates’ long-term wages were, on average, 11% higher than the comparison group, with even stronger results for men of color.

In year 2005:

Lisa Nutter became President.

In year 2000:

The organization changed its name to The Philadelphia Academies, Inc.

In year 1996:

Our staff help create the National Career Academy Coalition to provide greater structure and support for the hundreds of schools implementing the Career Academy model nationwide.

In year 1988:

The existing career academies merge into the Philadelphia High School Academy Association, Inc. and become one organization, with Natalie Allen as the organization's first President.

In year 1972-1994:

Over ten different Career Academies were launched in Philadelphia, including Philadelphia Business Academy, Philadelphia Health Academy, and the Hotel, Restaurant, Travel & Tourism (HRTT) Academy.

In year 1969:

Charles Bowser, Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia, and Lee Everett, President and CEO of PECO, collaborated to develop a mechanism for bringing the business sector into the classroom in an attempt to fight the overwhelming high school dropout rate.

“That’s a great idea, Charlie, but how about we start with one [school]. But let’s go to the worst school and let’s choose the students who have the least chance of making it. If it works there, it will work anywhere, and then we will have a model”. – J. Lee Everett

The First Career Academy, the Academy of Applied Electrical Sciences at Edison High School, was launched under the direction of Principal Albert Glassman. 25 students entered the Academy at Edison; all successfully graduated.

“A large portion of the population around Edison High School was living in poverty. This created a large underclass population that overall was disenfranchised from the opportunities so many others had. Specifically young African-American boys – they were the ones we were losing the most”. – Al Glassman