Academic Programs

Arlington Tech Capstone Experience is the culmination of an Arlington Tech student’s cross-curricular project-based learning and career development. Capstone Experience provides the student a gateway to apply and to advance her or his knowledge, technical expertise, and research skills learned in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses within an authentic real-world business and industry settings. Students may complete the Capstone Experience in one or three ways:

1. As paid or unpaid intern in a job placement relevant to the student’s career pathway (working on-the-job site), (1 to 3 variable credits based on hours worked) *
2. Asa project manager/consultant working for a client to deliver a product or to solve a problem (working on-the-job site or at school)
3. As a research assistant at a university, government organization, or non-profit (working on-the-job site or at school)

Capstone Experience continues to develop the student’s knowledge and skill in their chosen career path, or to further research study within her or his area of interest. Students are responsible for securing a Capstone placement during the 11th grade year with the support of the Capstone Coordinator. A work-based training plan is then developed by the student, Capstone Coordinator, and workplace mentor to guide the student’s work-based learning experiences and assist in evaluating achievement and performance. The Capstone Coordinator and the student’s mentor facilitate the student’s work-based learning experience and assist in evaluating her or his achievement and performances during the 12th grade year. When the student enrolls in the Capstone Experience course, the parent or legal guardian, workplace mentor, student, and APS staff signs an MOU that grants full legal consent that the student has permission to participate in all aspects of the Capstone Experience. It is recommended that student has one to two work release periods at the end of the school day to facilitate Capstone Experience job placement. This will be a requirement for Arlington Tech students.

Work Based Learning Capstone (WBLC) is the culminating course in a student’s logical sequence of courses within a chosen career area of interest. In this course, students can apply their knowledge, technical skills, leadership, and workplace readiness skills acquired in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) elective courses in a real-world business and industry settings. Student will need to have taken at least two previous career and technical education (CTE) courses listed in the Program of Studies in their chosen career areas of interest.

The WBL Capstone continues to develop the student’ skills and knowledge in their chosen career path, or further their study within their areas of interest. A work-based training plan is developed by the student, teacher, and workplace mentor to guide the student’s work-based learning experiences and assist in evaluating achievement and performance. There are several models of Work Based Learning (WBL): the credit bearing cooperative “co-op” (requires concurrent classroom instruction and on-the-job training”), and the non-credit bearing service-based learning, internship, and school-based enterprise (entrepreneurship programs). The student will coordinate with the WBL coordinating teacher to determine the appropriate WBL match for the student. Parental or legal guardian consent is required for student participation. It is recommended that students have on to two WBL release periods at the end of the school day to facilitate WBL, job placement.

PEP students intern at various community sites three days a week for a total of approximately 12 hours. PEP staff develop and analyze potential sites prior to student placement. Sites are assigned based on student interest and abilities, as well as the demands of available sites. At independent internship sites, regular employees serve as mentors and oversee student progress. Students receive written evaluation of their work-related performance, skills, and behavior. At group internship sites (typically between 3-5 students with a job coach), a PEP staff member works with and assesses student progress. All PEP students will create a professional portfolio during their time with PEP that includes journal entries, recommendation letters, resume, samples of work, pictures of themselves at internship sites, All About Me presentation, and more

Students in PEP meet with their case carriers two days per week for academic instruction related to the world of work. Students are encouraged to analyze their placements and evaluate their own performance. They consider how the demands and satisfactions of a particular type of work mesh with their abilities and needs. Each student compiles a transition notebook. This course may be taken more than once.