Each of our nine high schools offer a variety of courses that are categorized as Career and Technical Education.  By offering students numerous and varied opportunities, in addition to traditional academics, Career and Technical Education helps ensure that ALL students can be successful in high school and leave "empowered for the choices and challenges of the 21st century."

Career and Technical Education classes Download the CTE Brochure

Note:  Not all courses listed are available at all high schools - check with your school to see what is offered on your campus.

CULINARY ARTS Download the Culinary Arts brochure

Healthy living depends on choosing the right kinds of foods and using the proper preparation techniques.  Introduction to Culinary Arts 1 students, in addition to learning to plan and prepare foods, will learn the importance of basic nutrition for good health.  Introduction to Culinary Arts 2 students will learn advanced cooking techniques, as well as creative food presentation.

Culinary Arts 1-2 is offered at some schools. This class is designed to introduce and prepare students with the academic and workplace industry standard skills needed for hospitality and food production. The focus is on preparation for careers in industries such as hotels, meeting centers, educational facilities, and cruise lines.  If the school also offers a second year of Culinary Arts, students who have passed the first year will learn advanced academic and workplace industry skills for hospitality and food production.  Students will have the opportunity to complete industry internship hours and then may take the National Restaurant Association Industry Certification Test.
 

CHILD DEVELOPMENT Download the Early Childhood Education brochure

It's a lot of fun watching children grow!  This Child Development course focuses on the study of the physical, social-emotional and intellectual development of children from conception through pre-school age.  Students will develop skills in working with young children that can be applied to parenting and/or future careers involving children.  During a play-school unit, students will practice the basic principles of guidance and caring for children.
 

FAMILY LIVING

Positive relationships are the foundation of a healthy and happy lifestyle.  This course develops skills in inter-personal relationships. Family Living is a study of basic concepts of personality development, goal setting, stress management, communication skills, mate selection, successful marriage strategies and personal economics.
 

MARKETING Download the Marketing brochure

Marketing involves determining customer needs and deciding how best to satisfy those needs.  This is a challenging class for those students interested in selling, pricing, distribution, advertising, computer technology, owning a business, business management, employability skills, and market research.  Marketing prepares the students for retail careers.  Students in Advanced Marketing (DECA) must qualify for part-time employment and work a minimum of 15 hours a week in a marketing or distributing business.
 

KEYBOARDING

One-semester and full-year Keyboarding classes give students the opportunity to learn basic keyboarding skills using the touch-typing method.  This class provides basic preparation for other business/computer courses, personal use and college.
 

BUSINESS LAW

Business Law provides students with a working knowledge and understanding of legal principles.  Students analyze case studies, participate as an attorney, witness, and juror in mock trials, study law for the minor, explore legal careers, gain a knowledge of the American court system and learn to research and present legal concepts using technology.
 

ACCOUNTING Download the Accounting brochure

Accounting is an excellent opportunity for students to gain real-world experience learning accounting principles by analyzing and recording business transactions.  In addition to managing the records of a business using automated accounting software, students will learn skills to prepare them for employment.  At schools offering Advanced Accounting students increase their employability and accounting background.
 

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Business Computer Applications students learn advanced word processing and desktop publishing skills, how to set up a database and develop spreadsheets and graphs to analyze data, and how to use the Internet for research.  In Multimedia Computer Applications students learn to design illustrations and presentations (PowerPoint), learn how to use a digital camera, scanner and video camera, and learn how to use Internet applications including email and web page development and design.
 

INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS

Students in Introduction to Business experience handling a checking account, applying for credit, buying insurance, finding and applying for a job, computer technology, understanding investments, communication skills, and understanding the variety of ways businesses are organized.
 

METALS

This course introduces, explores, and develops the basic skills used in metalworking, manufacturing and industrial production.  Students will learn safety and proper use of hand tools, as well as have the opportunity to do sheet metal work, acetylene welding and cutting, electric welding, lathe work, hand forge, heat treating, foundry, wrought iron, soldering, plasma cutting and mig and tig welding.
 

AUTOS

Students at Cortez High School have the opportunity to take this basic course in automotives.  It emphasizes the development of an understanding of the basic mechanics and working vocabulary of automotive terms.  The course will consist of care and maintenance of various automotive systems and components.  Students at the other eight high schools may choose to take the autos classes offered through GCC (see below).
 

GCC AUTOS Download the Automotives brochure

The automotives program at Glendale Community College provides interested students at any of the district's nine high schools with exposure to the world of automotive repair.  This program is intended to provide the student with a knowledge background, in addition to hands-on training.  Students wishing to enter this program begin taking classes at GCC during the summer prior to their senior year of high school.  During the student's senior year, the student is encouraged to apply for a position in one of the three factory-sponsored automotive technician training programs.
 

INTROTECH

IntroTech is a year-long class offered to students in 9th through 12th grade.  This course is designed to provide students with a broad exploratory experience in the world of technology.  The course provides students the opportunity to study technological systems including energy/power, transportation, manufacturing/construction, and communications.

IntroTech uses a unique approach that involves a series of modules which allow a student to work in selected areas of interest.  Each activity emphasizes the importance of applied academic skills in reading, mathematics and oral communication.
 

CAD DRAFTING/DESIGN Download the Drafting brochure

All drafting classes in the district are considered Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), which means drawings are done on the computer at the student's own workstation.  The curriculum uses state-of-the-art technology and all CAD labs use recent versions of CAD software. Students successfully completing CAD Drafting 1-2 may possess adequate skills to be employed by architectural firms, engineering firms or other companies that utilize drafting skills.
 

CISCO Download the CISCO brochure

This CISCO course is designed to teach and certify students to design, build, and maintain computer networks.  The course focuses on network equipment, design and operation through hands-on activities such as wiring and cabling and CISCO-prepared computer-assisted instruction.  Final assessment entails setting up an operable LAN.  At the completion of this course, students may take the two-day CISCO-sponsored certification test.  Success on this test assures employers that a certified student knows how to build and maintain a network.
 

CABINETMAKING Download the Cabinetmaking brochure

Cabinetmaking classes are available for students in 9th through 12th grades.  The Cabinetmaking 1-2 class is an excellent beginning class which teaches enough skills to make woodworking a life-long hobby. Students who wish to advance their skills have the opportunity to do so in Cabinetmaking 3-4 (not offered at all schools).  Students completing this class have substantial skills and may be qualified to be employed in the cabinetmaking business.
 

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

Students wishing to take a Cooperative Education class (COE, DCE, DECA, or FACS Internship) must have taken a minimum of one Career and Technical Education course in their chosen department. The process also requires an application and coordinator approval before a student can sign up for this class.  Senior students attend classes part of the day and are employed part time working a minimum of 15 hours per week (this is referred to as Career Internship Field).  Through classroom instruction and on-the-job training, students develop work skills and work ethic, learn how to work with people, develop self-confidence, and earn money while gaining experience and exploring careers.
 

HEALTH CAREEERS EDUCATION (HCE)

HCE is a satellite program in the Glendale Union High School District that presents and teaches basic medical science and exposes students to a realistic hospital environment.

HCE is open to any junior or senior who is mature, has a good work ethic and can accept direction from both teachers and clinical supervisors.

HCE is a two-credit, two-semester class for those serious about exploring the ever changing and expanding health care environment.

HCE students will explore many different health care occupations while enrolled in the program, as well as gain CPR certification and well over 100 hours of hospital volunteer credit.

Consider these facts:

• In Arizona there is a growing shortage of health technicians and nurses, and few are qualified for new jobs, like ultrasound technicians or home health care aides.
   
• The health care industry employs one out of every six Arizonans today and will employ one out of every four in a few years.

FIRE SCIENCE Download the Fire Science brochure

Fire Science...explore the career opportunities available!  This class, which consists mainly of seniors, offers students a chance to have hands-on experience not only with fire fighting, but also with nursing (CPR), dispatch and other related fields.  Students have the unique opportunity to learn about fire services, fire prevention, technical rescue, and hazardous materials.  Students also earn their first aid certification.  A unique aspect of this class is the organization of the class into two “station houses" and the students roleplay the many positions.  A favorite activity is the “turnout” when students get their gear on in the least amount of time possible. They say it's tough to do!
 

EDUCATION PROFESSIONS Download the Education Professions brochure

Thinking about teaching?  Give this class a try!

Aspire to Teach, where students gain first-hand classroom experience that will help them be informed about occupational choices.  They will learn from a Master Teacher and have the opportunity to plan and utilize lesson plans in a real classroom setting.
 

CHILD ORIENTED OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM (COOP)

COOP gives hands-on experience and exposes students to the possibility of working with children in challenging careers such as education, health, art, business and nutrition.  Students develop and prepare lesson plans that they then use to teach in the on-site preschool.  This lab setting also allows students to observe the sequence of how children learn.
 

The curriculum for all these courses is aligned with the Arizona Career and Technical Education Curriculum Framework.  It is our goal to prepare individuals for further education and/or for careers in current or emerging employment sectors by offering courses which provide students with academic and technical knowledge and skills.

NOTE:  In order to be in compliance with Arizona State Graduation Requirements, a student must complete one credit of fine arts OR one credit of Career and Technical Education.  There are numerous Career and Technical Education classes available at each high school to meet this graduation requirement.

Joint Technical Education

GUHSD became a member of West-MEC on July 1, 2005.  West-MEC is a public school district.  In 1990, the Arizona legislature approved by statute that public school districts could join together through a public vote to combine efforts to offer Career and Technical Education programs.  In November 2002, eight west-side district governing boards placed the formation of West-MEC on the ballots of their constituents.  All eight west-side communities voted to form the Western Maricopa Education Center.

What can West-MEC do better than the districts themselves?

By combining efforts and expenditures, West-MEC can offer the students of the districts more than any one district alone can offer those students.  More programs and better funded programs will be offered to the students of the West-MEC through economies of scale.  Together, we can do more.  Some career and technical education programs are equipment intense and very expensive. Individual districts may not have the space, money, or expertise to offer such programs.  By combining some of the enrollment numbers, more opportunities are available to students.

Does that mean students may have to travel?

Not in all cases, but, yes in some situations, it may be necessary for a student who wants a particular program to attend a class off of their home campus.  In most cases, the expertise of West-MEC will go where the students are. Additional funds are available for districts who are members of West-MEC. Sometimes, those funds will be enough to place the extra courses on the students home campus.  In other instances, it may be that West-MEC can hire the highly specialized teacher and move that teacher to different campuses each semester in order to give students in multiple schools and multiple districts the opportunity to take the course.

Will West-MEC work with businesses?

Working with local businesses is one of the main efforts of West-MEC.  Creating an educational link to employment and continuing educational opportunities in Maricopa County is one of the reasons West-MEC was formed.  Our business community is an important link that must exist in order to move students from the school into the workforce in a seamless transition to continuing education and quality employment.

Will West-MEC work with facilities of higher education?

Definitely.  Most West-MEC students will need some higher education to achieve all they can in their chosen profession.  Universities, community colleges, trade schools, and continuing education offered through employers will all be impacted by the students who participate in West-MEC sponsored courses.  West-MEC courses will give students the foundation needed to pursue their dreams for the career they choose.  In some cases, West-MEC will be the guiding light showing students the different career choices they have and opening their eyes to what may lie ahead for them.