Career and Technology Education

Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs are designed to provide broad career development and skill training for students in the comprehensive high schools and the Center for Career and Technical Education. Programs consist of a 4 - 6 credit sequence of courses in a variety of Career Clusters. Students may choose an occupational completer program as a pathway to graduation or as an elective to add value to the high school course of study. Business/Community Partners work closely with instructors to advise and assist in the development of curriculum that prepares students for successful careers in their chosen career paths. Students completing an occupational program may choose to continue training at two- and four-year colleges or in an apprenticeship program. Students add value to their overall education by completing a CTE program of study. Today's career and technology education programs incorporate rigorous and challenging academic content standards leading to an industry-recognized credential or certification for immediate employment or advanced college standing. According to many national studies, career and technology education graduates are 10 - 15% more likely to be in the labor force and earn 8 - 9% more than graduates of academic programs.

Technology Education

The high school technology education program builds on the middle school model. The Foundations of Technology course is a required graduation credit. This course is designed to help students understand and apply technology concepts and processes. Group and individual learning activities engage students in creating ideas, developing innovations and engineering practical solutions. The elective advanced technology courses are designed for engaging students in academics and general technological studies that lead to the ability to understand how technology's development, control and use is based on design constraints, and human wants and needs. The structure of the courses challenges students to use design processes to think, plan, design and create solutions to engineering concepts, and scientific procedures. Students learn how to comprehend how human conditions and personal preferences drive technological design and problem solving. Students may choose to take two (2) advanced technology courses as a pathway to graduation. Students extend and transfer their knowledge of systems to new and emerging applications by the time they graduate from high school.

STEM Initiatives

Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs are an integral part of Allegany County Public Schools STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Initiative. ACPS CTE Programs are aligned with the vision, needs and goals of the STEM Initiative. For more information on STEM Programs in Allegany County Public Schools click here.