Career & Technical Education

Career & Technical Education (CTE) provides students with the academics, technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers and to become lifelong learners, with an emphasis on real-world, real-life skills.

Helping All Students Become Career and College Ready

Career and Technical Education – Washington (CTE) promotes and supports locally-based middle and high school programs that provide 21st century, academic and technical skills for all students. Whether you plan to go to work straight out of high school or eventually earn a PhD, whether you have a clear career goal or just want to learn something practical and new, you can benefit from CTE. 

Through CTE, students:

• Explore careers in middle and high school, especially careers in high-demand, high-growth fields such as healthcare and green technologies
• Identify a career goal
• Write a High School and Beyond Plan, with help from school career and guidance counselors, that identifies the high school and college-level academic and skills-based classes, training programs and apprenticeships that will best prepare them for their career path of choice.
• Take classes in high schools, at skills centers and at community and technical colleges that apply math, science and other academic subjects in real-life, hands-on ways
• Pursue a rigorous Programs of Study to a registered apprenticeship, industry certifications and two- and four-year college options.
• Earn tuition-free college credits through CTE Dual Credit classes as well as high school credits for graduation.
• Become leaders by participating in skills competitions and community service

CTE Dual Credit Courses

What is Dual Credit?

CTE Dual Credit allows students to take qualifying CTE courses that earn both high school and free college credits for the class. Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in the high school class to earn the college credits.

Highline's CTE Dual Credit College Partners

• Green River College
• Highline College
• Renton Technical College

See CTE Dual Credit Courses