P-Tech IBM pathway, from Taranto to a degree in Computer and Automation Engineering
Degree topic: the use of Artificial Intelligence for the automatic recognition of malicious computer programs. P-Tech is an international educational project that brings together secondary school, university, and the world of work. Promoted in the United States by IBM and active in Italy at the Jonian campus of Poliba
22 July 2025
Roberto Carriero from Taranto and Domenico Marinelli from San Giorgio Jonico, both born in 2003, are the first two graduates in “Computer and Automation Engineering”, of the three-year international training pathway, P-Tech.
P-Tech (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) is a project created and promoted in the United States by IBM. Subsequently exported to many other countries, it aims to integrate secondary school, university, and the world of work. The program launched at the Taranto campus of the Polytechnic, the first in Italy, aims to contribute to the development of the Taranto campus of Poliba and to foster the professional prospects of the approximately one hundred students (more than 30 students per year in the first three years) who chose to join the international project.
P-Tech in Taranto was born from the collaboration between the Polytechnic University of Bari, the Department for Training and Labour of the Apulia Region, Intesa Sanpaolo, Enel, the companies of the Angel Group, the Order of Engineers of Taranto, and Confindustria Taranto in 2019. Several local secondary schools joined the project: I.I.S.S. “Maria Pia”, I.I.S.S. “Pacinotti”, I.I.S.S. “Righi”, Liceo “Battaglini”, ITCS “Pitagora”, Liceo “Archita”, and Liceo “Moscati”. The educational pathway began with the 2022-23 academic year.
The two recent graduates, Carriero and Marinelli, to reach graduation followed a parallel admission pathway to the traditional one. The entrance test was replaced by IBM training activities (24 CFU) integrated into and delivered within the traditional secondary school curriculum during the three-year school period (third to fifth year). Carriero attended the I.T.T. “A. Pacinotti” in Taranto (Technical Technological Institute – Computer Science and Telecommunications track, Computer Science specialization); Marinelli attended the IISS “Augusto Righi” in Taranto, technical-industrial institute, Computer Science and Telecommunications track.
The three-year studies and related engineering exams were followed by the thesis work. Coordinated by Prof. Carmelo Ardito, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering of Poliba (DEI), they turned their research interests into their respective degree theses dedicated to the use of Artificial Intelligence for the automatic recognition of malware, that is, harmful computer programs that can compromise data and systems. Their research focused on how to teach an intelligent system to autonomously distinguish legitimate software from potentially dangerous software, thus contributing to the development of increasingly effective tools for the protection of devices and computer networks.
The thesis discussion took place on 14 July in Taranto. The graduation session was also attended by Eng. Gaetano Scioscia from IBM, who emphasized how “this result represents an important milestone for the entire P-Tech project in Italy, demonstrating how collaboration between the public and private sectors can produce truly effective training pathways oriented toward youth employability.” This view was shared by Prof. Fedelucio Narducci, coordinator of the Degree Program in Computer and Automation Engineering at Poliba, according to whom “it represents a strong sign of the positive impact that an integrated educational model can have on the territory and on the growth of our male and female students.”
Meanwhile, the two newly graduated students from Taranto are not stopping at this first brilliant achievement and announce that they intend to enroll at the Polytechnic University of Bari, in the Master's Degree program in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science track. Best of luck!
The article P-Tech IBM pathway, from Taranto to a degree in Computer and Automation Engineering comes from Poliba Chronicle.
