Career & Tech Education / Academies
Career Technical Education (CTE) provides students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers and to become lifelong learners.
CTE Programs and Career Academies offer career pathways from high school to post-secondary education including dual-enrollment and articulated credit as well as over 45 industry certification credentials. Key components of CTE Programs and Career Academies are work-based learning (internships, pre-apprenticeships, on-the-job training, job-shadowing and career planning), participatory learning, school-based businesses and Career & Technical Student Organizations (CTSO's). Through CTE Programs and Career Academy courses students gain pathway-specific technical, academic and employability skills necessary for success in the workplace, continued education and lifelong learning.
Since 2010, here at University High School we have (6) Academies and multiple programs for students to choose from.
Career Academies
A Career Academy is up to a 4-year full sequence of specific elective courses designed around a career cluster area of interest and requires additional national CTE standards as defined by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
Career Academies create a “school within a school” feel since students select to be grouped by a common area of interest for some classes.
Each Career Academy has a Program of Study that helps guide students in course selection and plan for postsecondary experiences.
- Academy of Biomedical Sciences
- Academy of Culinary
- Academy of Criminal Justice: NEW for the 26-27 School Year!
- Academy of Digital Design
- Academy of Engineering
- Academy of Finance
Career Academy Timeline
- High School Showcase: December 11, 2025
- Choice Academy/Program Application opens to parents through Parent Portal: December 12, 2025
- Sneak Peek @ UHS: January 14, 2026 5:30-7:00 pm
- Career Academy Applications Due: January 30, 2026.
- Application status notification: February 13, 2026.
- Declaration of Intent due: February 27, 2026.
CTE Programs
CTE Programs consist of three or more job preparatory courses in a career cluster area of interest.
Students who participate in CTE Programs are still able to take advantage of district-wide programs such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), Advanced Placement (AP), and Dual Enrollment, Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB).
CAPE Scholarships available.
- CAPE Gold Seal
- Vocational Scholarship