Career & Technical Education

Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ (VBCPS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offer cutting-edge career and technical experiences for students to explore a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, high-demand career pathways. Whether a student plans to attend college, seek an apprenticeship, join the military or begin work right after high school, VBCPS provides opportunities to support every student’s career dream. CTE at the middle school level offers students an exploratory experience with a growing emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and time to try out several areas of interest. High school level opportunities include one- and two-year programs in Business and Information Technology, Engineering and Technology Education, Family and Consumer Sciences, Marketing Education and Trade and Industrial Education. These programs are strengthened by incorporating the opportunity to achieve sought-after industry credentials, growing opportunities for dual enrollment credit and internships with local businesses. Students work with their school counselor to decide which option is right for them. During this process, students have a wide variety of courses to choose from at their home high school, in an academy program, or at one of our state-of-the-art centers.

Quick Facts

• VBCPS CTE students passed 14,330 industry credential tests in 2023-2024.
• 167,725 industry credential tests have been passed by students since 2002.
• VBCPS student mastery of Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth continues to be among the leaders in the State, with 4,002 students passing this credential in 2023-2024.
• Of the students graduating in 2023-2024, 1,848 seniors were program completers with a sequence of two or more CTE classes.
• VBCPS/CTE offered 134 different industry credential tests in 2023-2024 to students who earned 14,330 industry credentials with an overall pass rate of 82.4%.

Centers

The Advanced Technology Center, located on the Virginia Beach campus of Tidewater Community College (TCC), plays a unique role in the region’s STEM education plans for high school students in one of three strands: Information Technology (IT) and Computer Sciences; Digital Design and Marketing; and Architecture, Engineering and Manufacturing. Students accepted to the ATC stay at their neighborhood VBCPS school while taking half-day classes at the ATC, earning three to 12 high school credits as well as possible college credit. The ATC’s programs help students prepare for nationally-recognized credentials and create a foundation that allows students to continue their education, enter the job market, join the military or pursue any other pathway to success they choose. For more information about the ATC’s academic strands and related courses, visit the center’s website or call 757-648-5800.

The Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center, located at 2925 North Landing Road, is a unique and exciting place that offers 23 highly-specialized and credentialed technical programs to high school juniors and seniors. The broad combination of CTE programs available at the center provides opportunities for virtually everyone. Students accepted to the Tech Center learn and practice marketable technical skills in the center’s classrooms and labs, earn industry-recognized credentials and have opportunities to translate that knowledge to real-world situations through on and off-campus learning experiences, job-shadowing and internships. Tech Center staff members are dedicated to ensuring students complete programs with the knowledge, skills and credentials needed to enter the workforce, continue their education in a two or four-year college or university, trade school or apprenticeship program or join the military. For more information about the Tech Center or to see a complete list of programs offered, visit the Technical and Career Education Center website or call 757-648-5850.