Parkland High School is committed to helping students make meaningful connections between their learning and future goals. Career awareness, exploration, preparation, and application are embedded throughout both academic and technical coursework at Parkland High School and Lehigh Career & Technical Institute (LCTI).

Using a career exploration tool, students identify their interests, strengths, and skills to explore potential career paths. This platform is grounded in the 16 nationally recognized Career Clusters developed by the U.S. Department of Education and the State’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, allowing students to explore hundreds of specific careers within these broad categories.

At Parkland, these clusters are organized into five Parkland Career Pathways — Business and Communication Technology, Engineering and Industrial Technology, Arts and Humanities, Health and Human Services, and Education. Through coursework, experiential learning, and real-world applications, students gain the knowledge and transferable skills needed to prepare for post-secondary success at a four-year college, community or technical college, apprenticeship, military service, or direct entry into the workforce.

The Career Pathways program aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To raise the level of learning and meaning for all students
2. To prepare all students for lifelong learning
3. To provide for an improved system of counseling and management for students
4. To provide for flexibility in career choice and focus in course planning

Students will choose an academic path to prepare for their future. For example, they may enroll in the Traditional Academic pathway, designed for students planning to continue their education at a four-year college or university, junior college, or community college, or in the Technical Academic pathway, designed for students pursuing a career through study at a technical, trade, or business school, or through direct entry into the workforce. Students will then develop a flexible career plan within their chosen path.

Career Pathways allows students to identify electives and experiences that support their career exploration and help prepare for a wide range of postsecondary opportunities, whether at a four-year college, community or technical college, apprenticeship, military service, or direct entry into the workforce. If at any time throughout high school the student changes his or her mind about a pathway or career cluster, Career Pathways offers the flexibility for students to redirect their course of study.

If a course is aligned with a specific Career Pathway, it will be labeled next to the course title to indicate its pathway. Students and families are encouraged to use these labels to select courses that support their interests and future goals within a chosen pathway. Additionally, you can utilize the search function in the digital course book to filter and explore courses by Career Pathway, making it easier to find offerings that align with your aspirations. Look for the Career Pathway labels throughout each section of this course book to help plan a personalized program of study.

Examples of Possible Academic Pathways

Traditional Academic Pathway

The Traditional Academic curriculum is designed for the student who wishes to pursue a career that requires four or more years of education at a college or university. Students who select the Traditional Academic curriculum should elect subjects necessary to satisfy college entrance requirements. The term “college” is used to include junior colleges, nursing schools, technical institutes, and other institutions of higher education.

Students who are planning to enter a four-year college or university must realize that entrance requirements as well as graduation requirements vary with each institution. It is important that college bound students begin to study college catalogs and consult with their counselors in the sophomore year. It is imperative that students continue their study of mathematics, science, and foreign languages to challenge the limits of their ability and not to meet the minimum requirements of any one college.

Every college admissions committee looks favorably upon the student who has studied in subjects beyond minimum requirements. Many colleges will exempt students from basic required courses when the high school records indicate advanced study, and the students indicate proficiency by special examination. In addition to wise course selection, high academic achievement is an essential requirement for college admission.

Criteria are listed as prerequisites for entrance to the most challenging courses. All students must meet established criteria for gifted/high potential, honors and advanced placement course offerings.

* For Class of 2028 and beyond, students must take Personal Finance (652) OR Independent Living (839) to fulfill PDE’s Personal Finance graduation requirement.

+ Students who are enrolled in 1⁄2 day LCTI will have the opportunity to enroll in CEW classes in English and Social Studies.

* One full year or two semester electives must be chosen

** Variations will occur based on individual need.

*** For Class of 2028 and beyond, students must take Personal Finance (652) OR Independent Living (839) to fulfill PDE’s Personal Finance graduation requirement.