Frequently asked questions
What is the Career Pathways Academy (CPA)?
The Career Pathways Academy at Los Angeles City College is focused on establishing career pathways and the promotion of credit courses, and degree applicable CTE Skill Certificates to high school students for completion in tandem with their high school diploma, and with subsequent transition to Certificate and Associate Degree program enrollment after high school graduation.
What is a Career Pathway?
A career pathway is a framework for connecting a series of educational programs with integrated work experience and support services, thereby enabling students and workers to combine school and work and advance over time to better jobs and higher levels of education and training.
What is Tech Prep?
Tech Prep education is an articulated, planned sequence of study beginning in high school, and extending through at least two years of postsecondary education or an apprenticeship program. However, programs can continue up to the Baccalaureate degree level.
Emphasizing contextual learning and career pathways, Tech Prep is an important school-to-work transition strategy, helping all students make the connection between school and employment.
What is CTE?
Career-Technical Education (CTE) consists of organized educational programs offering sequences of courses directly related to preparing individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations that require supplementary experience in addition to, or in some cases in lieu of a baccalaureate or advanced degree.
These work force preparation programs proffer knowledge in the fields of industrial and technology education, business education, agriculture, medical occupations, home economics, just to mention a few. They provide a variety of instructional strategies including competency-based applied learning that contributes to an individual's occupational-specific skills, higher-order reasoning, problem solving skills, and the academic knowledge necessary to achieve economic independence as a productive and contributing member of society while preparing participants for both postsecondary education and employment.