Career Tech Academy

The Career Tech Academy (CTA) is a year-long, hands-on training program for high school juniors and seniors from Charlotte, Halifax, and Mecklenburg Counties. Through hands-on training, students gain in-demand job skills in Automation & Robotics, Energy Systems Technology, Information Technology (IT), HVAC, and Welding.

After completing year one training as juniors, students may return for their senior year to enroll in level 2, Work-Based Learning (which features a track on entrepreneurship) or they may pursue a different level one training program.

Explore Opportunities. Empower Your Future.

In the Career Tech Academy we spend up to 80% of class time in hands-on activities, keeping students engaged as they work with their hands and their minds. We provide students with the freedom to explore career opportunities and the support they need to be successful. Students gain in-demand skills, build confidence, earn high school and college credit, and receive the guidance and support needed to transition to college or the workforce after graduation.

Year 1 CTA Student Experience

Year 1 students work in real workplace labs and utilize soft skills to prepare them with the knowledge and certifications required for employment or advanced studies at a college or university. Students attend classes at the SVHEC from 8:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Monday-Friday, then return to their home high schools for the remainder of the instructional day.

Year 2 CTA Student Experience

The focus of a Year 2 CTA student (seniors only) is to enhance the hands-on experience in the workforce through apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing or mentoring. Year 2, Work-Based Learning students are matched with regional employers, and go to their work sites three days a week to participate in a hands-on, real-world work experience. While at their work site, students function as employees applying the knowledge and skills gained in their Year 1 training, and learning new workplace success skills.

Contact Us

Ready to enroll? Please reach out to the contact for your school division to register your student for the upcoming school year. For all other questions or concerns please reach out to Rosa Dunn, CTA Director at (434)572-5506 or .