The education landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. Schools everywhere are trying to integrate new technology, implement STEM programs, and prepare students for a digital future. But there’s a problem: many schools, especially smaller and rural ones, are struggling to keep up. They need reliable IT support, quality STEM education, and someone who understands that when technology fails in a classroom, learning stops.
That’s where Education & Technology Professionals (ETP) comes in. Founded in 2016, this company has built something unique in the education technology space—a business that combines comprehensive on-site IT support with fully turnkey STEM programs, all delivered by people who genuinely care about making schools better.
A Simple Beginning with Big Impact
ETP’s story started in rural Southern New Jersey when founder Lucas Ostrowski saw an ad in the local newspaper. Lower Alloways Creek Township School District was looking for a network administrator. When Lucas mentioned it to his family, they asked what that even was—nobody in their rural community knew what a network administrator did. That told him everything about the technology gap these schools were facing.
Lucas was the only person to apply for the position. While working his full-time remote IT job, he dedicated about 20 hours a week to supporting the school’s technology needs. Within a year, administrators from Cumberland Christian School in Vineland came to tour the district and specifically asked about their technology support. They liked what they saw and became ETP’s second school.
“That moment crystallized our core belief,” Lucas explains. “There’s a real, underserved need for qualified IT professionals in rural areas and smaller schools.” What started on September 14th, 2016—one day before Lucas’s first child was born—has grown into a company serving schools across the country with 22 full-time employees.
What began as supporting one small elementary school has evolved dramatically. “We have gone from a couple of guys meeting the IT needs of a tiny elementary school in a small village in South Jersey to a national company providing a full slate of IT services, Computer and Technology classes, a growing curriculum, and STEM resources to a score of schools across the United States,” reflects Jonathan Kershner, ETP’s VP of Operations and first employee who has been with the company for seven years. “It really has been remarkable growth, but it has remained personable as we have worked hard to maintain direct and regular contact with each client.”
Solving Real Problems with Practical Solutions
Most schools face a frustrating reality: they typically need to work with six to eight different vendors for their technology needs. One company for cabling, another for professional development, separate vendors for printer support, camera systems, installations, and more. It’s expensive, complicated, and time-consuming.
ETP does all of that under one contract. Their approach is straightforward: they offer comprehensive on- site IT support and can also provide a complete STEM program that includes a dedicated teacher,
proprietary curriculum with 18 different modules schools can customize, and all the resources needed to teach those modules. Schools can choose either service individually or combine them based on their needs.
“Most teachers are handed a curriculum designed by someone who either has never been in a classroom or hasn’t taught in one for a long time,” explains Abigail Oliphant, ETP’s STEM Coordinator and Curriculum Expert who has been with the company for two years and is stationed at a school near Chicago. “Our curriculum was created for teachers by teachers. Our educators can customize our curriculum to the needs of our diverse schools. They have the tools and resources to modify what was given to them to fit what supports their campus.”
The response from schools has been overwhelmingly positive. “The first response we typically receive is ‘this is so much better than what we had before,'” Abigail notes. “Students are learning skills that can be applied to real life situations. They will learn ideation, creation, problem solving, productive struggle, team work and the rewards of success.”
“We don’t nickel and dime our clients,” Lucas says. “It’s one contract rate for everything, including project work and installations. In some cases, the project work we do has saved a school so much that we’ve essentially paid for ourselves for the year.”
For smaller, single-track schools (one class per grade), ETP can even bundle both IT support and their complete STEM program for the price of one service. While this isn’t available for every school due to size constraints, it demonstrates their commitment to making quality technology education accessible.
A Different Kind of IT Company
ETP challenges the industry standard in a fundamental way. Most IT companies today are managed service providers (MSPs) that do most things remotely. You rarely see them, but when you need them, it’s expensive and often involves waiting for support.
When a smart board, projector, or laptop stops working, it can derail an entire lesson. ETP’s on-site presence means these problems get solved immediately, keeping education flowing smoothly.
Ian Haserick, an IT Specialist and Teacher who is approaching his five-year anniversary with ETP, explains the operational advantages: “On-site IT support offers significant advantages in terms of response time and familiarity. When an issue occurs, an on-site technician can begin troubleshooting within minutes, eliminating the frustration of end-users having to describe problems remotely or take screenshots. This direct presence allows the IT professional to observe the issue firsthand and apply their expertise more effectively.”
“The most frequent thing I hear is the difference it is to actually have a dedicated person on site,” adds Andros Exadaktilos, ETP’s Client Success Manager who has been with the company for four years. “Every day things don’t need to wait or be put off because someone is available to take care of them.”
Ian’s dual role as both IT specialist and teacher gives him unique insights: “Playing a dual role within a school allows me to gain insight into the potential road blocks or opportunities for improvement in a school’s technology environment, allowing for faster responses to new problems and making a smoother experience for not only the teachers, but students and the administration as well.”
Lucas emphasizes that this approach stems from a fundamental understanding about the nature of their work: “One of my philosophies is that we understand IT is primarily a customer service job. We develop
rapport with staff and faculty at each location. Being more approachable increases the chances of someone coming to us with their technology issues, no matter how small or how big.”
Hayden Forte, ETP’s Senior Systems Administrator, explains the technical reality behind this philosophy: “Something to keep in mind with typical remote-only MSP models is that they function only from an outsider perspective. A remote MSP can’t walk into a classroom and quickly guide a teacher through reconnecting to a SmartBoard for a class already in session, or develop the same rapport with clients as an on-site technician. The reality is that there are so many moving parts at play in a single school day that any school without on-site technical assistance is putting themselves at a disadvantage.”
Jonathan Kershner, ETP’s VP of Operations and first employee who has been with the company for seven years, explains why this approach works: “The on-site model is definitely harder on the finances of the company, as it requires far more resources from us than just responding to needs remotely as they arise. But there is no need to wait hours or days to resolve issues which are impacting instruction or school operations right now.”
More importantly, Jonathan notes, “By having a designated tech on-site on a regular schedule, we integrate into the school culture and become part of the school community. When a problem arises the school doesn’t have to worry about what tech is going to be sent and what he knows about the network or situation. They know it will be the same person who fixed the last issue, and with whom they had lunch at the last staff meeting.”
Lucas emphasizes that the on-site technician is backed by the entire ETP team: “When we have a dedicated technician on-site, the entire team is part of the service, with subject matter experts in cybersecurity, networking, and other areas being part of the overall service package. This also means that there is built-in turnover protection, as the knowledge of a school remains with the company. In the event of turnover on our end—it can happen to any company, even though we try to go above and beyond to take care of our people—there are no service gaps since we provide backups while hiring and training a replacement. Turnover of direct IT personnel hires can be extremely disruptive, especially if it is abrupt.”
This collaborative approach extends to complex technical challenges. “Because ETP is so much more hands-on than a typical remote-focused MSP, we can provide in-person assistance to our technicians when needed,” explains Hayden. “We’re able to provide expedient service while guiding our on-site technicians through complex processes. Having that physical connection provides reassurance and gives technicians hands-on experience—it’s an opportunity to teach on the fly.”
The company has also expanded to offer remote-only services for schools with tighter budgets. “We realized that for many school budgets, we were essentially trying to sell a Cadillac when some schools could only afford a Corolla,” Lucas admits. Now schools can access ETP’s expertise for as little as $1,000 a month.
Building a Culture That Works
What sets ETP apart isn’t just their services—it’s how they treat their people. In an industry where turnover is common and disruptive, ETP has achieved something remarkable: an average employee tenure of over three years that continues to grow.
“We understand that in a school setting, turnover is far more disruptive than in other industries,” Lucas says. “So we know we need to treat our people better than anyone else does.”
This shows up in practical ways. ETP requests 30 days’ notice if someone resigns, but they also provide 30 days’ notice for any layoffs that aren’t for cause. They offer innovative bonus structures, prioritize mental health initiatives, and give employees significant autonomy in how they approach their work.
Despite being a distributed team working at different schools across the country, ETP maintains strong connections through yearly holiday parties and an annual Summer Academy that combines IT and STEM training with fun team activities.
“Our summer academy is a multi-tiered process,” explains Abigail. “First, it creates a sense of camaraderie and community within ETP. This is the time of year when we come together to learn new things, reinforce and improve our curriculum and connect with other educators that teach the same material. Secondly, through building these relationships, our teachers learn they can rely on the ETP leadership through any difficulties they may have, whether it be curriculum or classroom based.”
We’re also often mistaken for traditional staffing companies, which we absolutely are not. Staffing companies find people and then become hands-off afterward. We hire, train, and retain all of our people, providing constant support, ongoing training, and comprehensive benefits. Since we train and retain talent, we take care of everything—benefits, employee satisfaction, professional development.
This approach provides built-in turnover protection for schools and businesses that contract with us. While everyone experiences turnover and we’re not immune, all institutional knowledge stays with our company. Ian, who has evolved his role significantly over nearly five years with ETP, explains: “As the needs of ETP have evolved over the years I have provided continually excellent service to my school and students as an IT Specialist and Teacher, in addition to that role I have taken on the role of IT Training Coordinator, responsible for the creation of annual IT training for our staff, maintaining the company knowledge base, and creating policy documents. This is all done in an effort to have streamlined continuity for all members of the company and, by extension, the schools we serve.”
In the event someone leaves, we always provide coverage until we hire and train their replacement. We always strive for zero gap in service when a school or business partners with us for IT support—and we consistently deliver on that promise.
Leadership That Makes a Difference
Lucas’s leadership philosophy is built on two core principles: treating people how he’d like to be treated, and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt until they give him a reason not to. This approach has been especially valuable during uncertain times like the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools desperately needed reliable technology partners.
“I would describe Lucas’ leadership style as collaborative,” says Jonathan. “He has a vision for the company and is good at driving toward that vision, but he seeks out input and takes advice along the way. He seeks the best way forward, not just the best way he can come up with.”
As the company has grown from two people to 22 employees, Jonathan has observed what’s remained constant: “Lucas’ concern for the clients and employees. Lucas has a lot of empathy and it is obvious in his interactions. He not only asks about needs, he is good at anticipating them. His commitment to the employees is exemplary as he goes above and beyond to ensure the best compensation package he can provide as well as regular check-ins and support to make sure everyone is cared for.”
Abigail echoes this sentiment from her perspective as a STEM educator: “Lucas always makes me feel supported. I feel like I can give him my best work, because I can prioritize my family and know there’s no
consequence doing so. I am not just a number, or a job, but a person. ETP has been a place that has allowed me to grow professionally in an accepting and positive environment.”
Paige Marino, ETP’s Executive Assistant and Bookkeeper who has been with the company for almost four years, shares a similar perspective: “Education & Technology Professionals creates a positive atmosphere for their employees and I am truly blessed to have found this company almost 4 years ago. Our CEO Lucas Ostrowski has made it possible for me to be a working mom and he knows how important work life balance is in this company.”
“When uncertainty strikes—whether it’s a challenging client situation, an employee issue, or market pressures—I default to assuming positive intent and looking for solutions rather than assigning blame,” Lucas explains.
This leadership style has created something unique in the industry. ETP’s growth has been driven almost entirely by word-of-mouth referrals, which Lucas sees as a testament to the quality of their services and relationships.
Part of maintaining those strong relationships comes from ETP’s commitment to client satisfaction. “I find administrators are frequently surprised to find we want to make sure everything is satisfactory to them,” explains Andros. “Often times you see surveys for things that people rarely fill, but it’s different when they have an opportunity to actually speak with someone about it.”
The result is something deeper than a typical vendor relationship. “The biggest change seems to be that we feel like a part of our clients’ workplace,” Andros notes. “We don’t feel like a 3rd-party vendor, we feel like a part of their workplace and culture. Our being there feels natural.”
This reflects ETP’s core mission: to be a school’s technology partner, not just another IT company.
These relationships aren’t just transactional; they’re built on trust, reliability, and genuine care for our partners’ success. When schools and businesses recommend us to their colleagues, they’re putting their own reputation on the line. The fact that this continues to be our primary source of new business speaks volumes about the value we deliver and the experiences we create.
During challenging times like the pandemic, these strong relationships became our foundation. Our existing partners knew they could count on us, and their trust in our capabilities led to referrals even when budgets were tight and decisions were scrutinized more heavily than ever. This organic growth through relationships has kept us not just resilient, but consistently relevant as educational technology needs have evolved.
Looking Ahead: AI and the Future of Education
ETP is grappling with one of education’s biggest challenges: how artificial intelligence will reshape learning. Lucas and his team are having serious internal discussions about fundamental questions. If AI is already replacing many programming jobs, should they still be teaching fifth graders how to code? Or should they focus on preparing students for a world where human-AI collaboration is the norm?
“It’s hard to think of an industry that won’t be affected by the rise of AI,” Lucas notes. “What concerns me is that many businesses and educational institutions are treating this as a distant future consideration rather than an immediate reality requiring strategic planning.”
This forward-thinking approach reinforces why ETP’s comprehensive, adaptable support model is so valuable. As educational needs evolve rapidly, schools need partners who can help them navigate changes rather than just maintain the status quo.
What’s Next
ETP continues to find new ways to add value for their partner schools. This summer, they’re including server cloud backups for all partner schools at no additional cost, providing crucial protection against ransomware attacks and hardware failures. This initiative reflects ETP’s ongoing commitment to constantly looking for ways to provide more value to the schools they serve.
A Legacy in the Making
Five years from now, Lucas hopes ETP will be remembered for fundamentally changing what schools expect from their technology partnerships. “I want our legacy to be that we made a real difference in education—that students learned better, teachers taught more effectively, and administrators had one less thing to worry about because we were there, reliable and ready to help.”
It’s a simple vision, but in an industry often complicated by vendor confusion and technical jargon, simplicity might be exactly what schools need. ETP proves that when you combine quality service, genuine care for people, and a commitment to solving real problems, success follows naturally.
For schools tired of juggling multiple vendors, dealing with unreliable support, or struggling to implement quality STEM programs, ETP offers something different: a true partnership built on trust, reliability, and the belief that every school, regardless of size or location, deserves access to excellent technology support and innovative educational opportunities.
Education & Technology Professionals, LLC, on Social Media
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Business Talk is a digital business magazine that caters to CEOs, Entrepreneurs, VC, and Corporates. While working with entrepreneurs and business executives, we focus not only on their achievements. Our mission is to shed light on business entities, including their innovations, technological benchmarks, USPs, and milestones/accolades.
