A Tech Prep student is one who has made a conscious decision to follow a clearly defined sequence of courses preparing for employment in a Tech Prep occupation. A conscious decision means the student has declared Tech Prep a s a major and has an Individual Career Plan indicating Tech Prep occupation as their goal.

      For an occupation to be considered Tech Prep, it must meet all of the following criteria:

• An associate of Applied Science degree or a two-year apprenticeship is the predominant method to enter the occupation.
• Opportunities for above average entry wages and potential growth
• The occupation requires advanced technical skills
• The occupation requires multi-faceted problem solving and critical thinking skills.

      Technical careers at all levels and in all sectors of the economy are where the jobs of the future are going to be.
      Tech Prep is a new approach to education that can make that future your future. Tech Prep programs prepare students for technical jobs in a wide range of fields including agriculture, business, health, marketing, engineering technology, electronic, manufacturing, and other industrial areas. When you successfully complete a Tech Prep program, you will be well prepared to enter the job market. Or, you may chose to continue your education.
      Tech Prep education programs open up these opportunities and help blaze your own pathway to success.

      Partnerships. The success of Tech Prep is dependent upon forming three equitable partnerships. The first partnership must be between academic and technical educators. Since the workforce of the twenty-first centu ry will need a strong academic foundation and the ability to apply it to technological tasks, both academic and technical educators must work together in interdisciplinary cooperation. Together, educators from both disciplines will design Tech Prep sequen ces and instructional strategies that will strengthen the relationship between theory and application.
      The second partnership must be between secondary and postsecondary educators. A smooth transition from one level of education to the next without duplication of effort is important to the student's success. The Tech Prep pro gram requires that the secondary experience is well articulated with the postsecondary component in order to provide a solid foundation for advanced technical studies. Articulation can also assist students, when appropriate, with continuation to a four-ye ar baccalaureate program.
      The third partnership must be forged between education and the private sector. A commitment to the Tech Prep program from private business is critical. Business, industry and labor have many contributions to make to the Tech Prep program. Some of these include clearly communicating performance standards, assisting in curriculum selection, giving Tech Prep students priority hiring consideration, offering wage advancement incentives, supporting continued work-related training or education, or even making scholarships available to postsecondary institutions. As one can see, a partnership between educators and private business owners is of the utmost importance in the development of Tech Prep programs.

      With Tech Prep, when you graduate from high school, you'll have a head start on your college education. From there, you can find the job you want, take an additional year to earn your Associate Degree... even tra nsfer to a four-year college.*

(Be sure to check with your guidance counselor to find out which four-year programs accept Tech Prep credits.)

Last Updated 6/22/99