Career & Technical Education

Career and Technical Education enables students to get a head start on their future by participating in hands-on, real-world experiences that prepare them for high-wage, high-skill, and high-demand careers.  Students also have the opportunity to earn industry- recognized certifications.

Mr. Zac McWhorter
Career & Technical Education Director
Office: 256-963-9826

View Additional Department Staff

Career Academies

Huntsville City Schools offers over eighteen Career & Technical Education Academies.  Please see details below to learn more about each academy.

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO's) are an integral part of the career readiness programs.  Students are strongly encouraged to join the student organization affiliated with their chosen career readiness program.  CTSO's include DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, Greenpower USA, and CyberPatriot.

Middle School Career & Technical Education

Please see the Middle Grades Course Description Guide for more information about these courses.

Middle School Career & Technical Education

Middle School C&T Information

Middle School CTE course offerings include:

• Career Cluster Technologies (Grade 7)
• Career Cluster Explorations (Grade 8)
• Project Lead the Way (Grade 7 and 8) App Creators, Automation & Robotics, Design & Modeling, Flight & Space, Medical Detectives, and Computer Science for Innovators
• Cybersecurity (Grade 7 and 8)
• Greenpower (Grade 7 and 8)

Please see the Middle Grades Course Description Guide for more information about these courses.

Individual High School Academies

Building Science Academy (Travel)

This career academy is designed for the student interested in pursuing a career in the construction field. The program offers students a wide introduction to all areas of the construction trades. Students will learn safety procedures, blueprint comprehension, tool usage, and carpentry knowledge.
Location: Huntsville High School Annex
Certifications: NCCER: The National Center for Construction Education and Research
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Business Academy

This career academy provides students with the opportunity to improve skills with self-paced, interactive, and engaging online training. It will provide students with the technology skills necessary to acquire industry recognized certification and be competitive in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. Three distinct pathways are offered within the Business Academy: Business Management and Administration, Finance, and Sports and Entertainment Marketing.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certifications: Microsoft Office and Adobe Certified Associate (Business Management and Administration only)
CTSO: FBLA

Culinary Arts Academy (Travel)

This Culinary Arts Academy prepares students for a variety of careers in culinary arts and the hospitality industry. The school-based laboratory for the Culinary Arts Academy is a food service kitchen with a food serving and dining area. Formal presentations and portfolios are developed to showcase student’s work. Students also have the opportunity to participate in competition events and earn industry recognized certifications.
Location: Davidson Center; U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Certifications: ServSafe and ProStart
CTSO: FCCLA

Cyber Security Academy

The Huntsville City Schools Cyber Academy, recognized as AFA CyberPatriot Center of Excellence, introduces student to the broad field of Cyber Security. Students learn multiple numbering systems, become familiar with Microsoft Windows and LINUX operating systems. They also learn about networking, vulnerability assessment, and cyber forensics. Students participate in the national CyberPatriot competition and opportunities exist for student internships and industry recognized certifications.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certifications: CompTIA IT Fundamentals, Network+, Security+, Linux+, CEH-Certified Ethical Hacker
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Engineering Academy

This career academy provides students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on project based learning with real life application. Students learn the engineering design process, computer assisted design, and technical documentation. Students work collaboratively to solve open ended engineering challenges.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certifications: SolidEdge and SolidWorks
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Engineering Design and Advanced Manufacturing Academy (Travel)

This program is designed for students interested in engineering and related advanced manufacturing fields. Students will gain valuable knowledge and development marketable skills that will greatly benefit them in a future engineering or manufacturing profession. Students also have the opportunity to work in “world class” advanced manufacturing labs and participate in the exciting Greenpower racing program.
Location: Grissom High School and Jemison High School
Certifications: SolidEdge and Solid Works
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Esthetics and Spa Management Academy (Travel)

This career academy provides students with the opportunity to participate in programs that prepare students for careers in the esthetics and spa management fields. This academy aims to prepare student for the workforce, offering them a curriculum that provides hands-on experience and certification opportunities in esthetics and spa management.
Location: Jemison High School
Certification: National Retail Federation - Professional Certification in Customer Service and Sales
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Fashion Academy (Travel)

This program is for students who are interested in pursuing careers in the fashion and retail industry.  Courses provide students with knowledge of fashion, fashion design, apparel and textile design technology, and fashion business operations, media, and merchandising.
Location: Huntsville High School
Certification: National Retail Federation - National Professional Certification in Customer Services and Sales
CTSO: FCCLA

Finance Academy

The finance program prepares learners for careers in financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management.  Career opportunities are available in every sector of the economy and requires individuals working in finance to have strong computation, analytical, and interpersonal skills.  Rigorous instruction is provided to equip learners with knowledge and skills for college and career readiness.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certification: MOS Excel, Quickbooks
CTSO: FBLA

Food, Wellness, & Dietetics Pathway

This program is for students who are interested in pursuing careers in nutrition, wellness, and health and disease prevention.  Courses provide students with knowledge in event planning, photgraphic styling applications, social media, design techniques, developing and adapting food products for marketing and specific nutrition needs, meal planning, food safety, and the scientific investigation of production, processing, preparation, evaluation, and utilization of food.
Locations: Columbia High School & Huntsville High School
Certifications: ServSafe
CTSO: FCCLA

Greenpower Innovations in Science & Technology Pathway (Travel)

This program is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  This STEM program will utilize Greenpower to provide students with the knowledge and hands-on experiences they need to be successful in the new global work force.  Emphasis is placed on challenges that involve solving complex problems and designing real solutions to build an electric car.
Location: Grissom High School & Jemison High School
Certification: Solid Edge Certified Associate, Solid Works
CTSA: SkillsUSA

Health Science Academy

The rigorous and relevant Health Science Academy allows student to investigate the roles of health science and medical professionals as they study the concepts of human science and medical professionals as they study the concepts of human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, and public health.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certifications: Certified Patient Care Technician
CTSO: HOSA

Industrial Robotics Pathway (Travel)

Industrial Robotics prepares students to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development, and operational evaluations of computer-controlled electro-mechanical systems and products 
Location: Jemison
Certification: NCCER Core
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Interior Design & Real Estate Pathway (Travel)

This program is for students who are interested in pursuing careers in the real estate and brokerage industry.  Courses provide students with knowledge in interior design, house trends, marketing, customer and client service, licensure, legal and ethical aspects of buying, selling leasing, renting, and financing land, real property, and real estate.  Students will also gain knowledge of the staging of real estate, showing property to clients, and various aspects of property management.
Location: Huntsville High School
Certification: National Retail Federation - National Professional Certification in Customer Service & Sales
CTSO: FCCLA

JROTC

The mission of JROTC is to motivate young people to citizens of character through their programs. The purpose of JROTC is to instill in students the value of citizenship, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.
Location: Air Force JROTC at Huntsville and Jemison and Army JROTC at Columbia, Grissom, Lee, and New Century
Certifications: JRTOC Air Force Certificate, JROTC Army Certificate

Precision Machining Technology Academy (Travel)

This career academy provides specialized classroom and laboratory experiences for students who are entering the field of manufacturing and engineering technology. Instruction is provided in the areas of blueprint reading, safety, bench work, lathe work, millwork, grinding, drill press, and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) programming. Particular emphasis is given to the use of precision measuring tools and gauges. Students also have the opportunity to obtain industry recognized certifications.
Location: Grissom High School
Certification: NIMS - National Institute for Metalworking Skills
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Sports & Entertainment Marketing Pathway

The marketing program prepares learners for careers in planning, managing, and performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.  Marketing-related jobs are vital for companies, nonprofit groups, and organizations.  Job duties in this career cluster can include brand promotion, sales, merchandising, marketing communications, and market research.  As companies find it increasingly important to focus on community outreach and customer relations, the need for marketing professionals will increase.  Rigorous instruction is provided to equip learners with knowledge and skills for college and career readiness.
Location: Available at all high school campuses
Certification: MOS Word, MOS PowerPoint, MOS Excel, Adobe Certified Associate
CTSO: FBLA

Teaching & Training Pathway (Travel)

This program provides students with knowledge and skills needed for teaching and professional training consultant careers.  Courses provide an overview of teaching and learning theories, curriculum development, teaching techniques, instructional resources and the use of technology, types of assessments, classroom management strategies, and ethics and professionalism.
Location: Huntsville High School
Certification: Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) Basic Skills, ETS Praxis Core Academic Skills
CTSO: FCCLA

Welding Technology Academy (Travel)

This career academy provides students with a fundamental understanding of blueprint reading weld symbols and weld joints, rules for safety, and identification of shop equipment. Students acquire knowledge for safe operation of oxy-fuel cutting and shielded metal arc welding processes. Students also have the opportunity to obtain industry recognized certifications.
Location: Grissom High School
Certifications: NCCER: The National Center for Construction Education and Research and AWS: American Welding Society
CTSO: SkillsUSA

Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning is a structured component of the Career & Technical Education (CTE) curriculum that integrates classroom instruction with productive, progressive, supervised, work-based experiences/apprenticeships (paid) and internships (unpaid) that may be related to the student's career objectives.  Content is planned for students through a cooperative arrangement between the school and employer as a component of work-based learning.  Work-Based Experiences/Apprenticeships are paid work experiences and Work-Based Experiences/Internships are unpaid work experiences for eligible 11th grade and 12th grade students.  Student work hours and wages earned are monitored and documented by the student, employer, and the coordinator.  Students may earn one or more credits; 140 hours is required for each credit earned.
Location: Available at all high school campuses