Career Pathways

Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides students with opportunities to explore careers, engage in internships, network with industry leaders, and gain marketable skills while still in High School.

College Preparatory. Career Ready.

The Saint Patrick High School Career & Technical Education (CTE) Department, newly implemented in the 2023-2024 school year, puts forth a bold vision for a cohesive, flexible, and responsive career preparation ecosystem that will close equity gaps in educational outcomes and workforce readiness, and leverage CTE as a catalyst for ensuring each learner can reach success in the career of their choice.

Developed with input from nearly 200 national, state and local education and workforce development leaders and supported by 42 national organizations, CTE lays out five inter-connected and equally critical principles:

  • Each learner engages in a cohesive, flexible, and responsive career preparation ecosystem 

  • Each learner feels welcome in, is supported by, and has the means to succeed in the career preparation ecosystem

  • Each learner skillfully navigates their own career journey

  • Each learner’s skills are counted, valued, and portable

  • Each learner can access CTE without borders

Career Pathways

Engineering, Manufacturing, Technology, and Trades

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The Engineering, Manufacturing, Technology and Trades pathway is designed to be a three-year program with opportunities for internships that prepare students for the rigors of entering a university engineering program while also developing the practical skills necessary for students to compete in the manufacturing and trade industries. Students learn AutoCad software and the use of CNC machinery as part of the program. In the 23-24 school year students will receive seven college credits for the successful completion of our introduction to engineering course.  

Human and Public Services

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The Human and Public Service pathway is orientated toward students considering a career in education or public safety. Both courses of study are designed as multi-year programs with opportunities for practical experiences. The education path involves a dual credit introduction class and additional classes meant to give students a general perspective regarding a career in teaching. Our public safety course work involves classes in Criminal Justice and Law with a capstone opportunity to apply for enrollment in the CPFTA (Chicago Police and Fire Training Academy).

Learn More About CPFTA

Finance and Business Services

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The Finance and Business Services pathway consists of multiple courses, meant to give students both a background and practical experience related to the design, production and marketing of a product. Courses include Entrepreneurship, INCubator, Accounting and Marketing. These combined with the student’s other core classes can give him a broader introductory background into business careers.

Arts and Communication

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Students with an interest in media technology (i.e., video production, podcasts, live streaming, speech, performing arts, etc.) will benefit from this program of study. Students can take courses all four years in these areas that, along with their core courses, will prepare them with skills needed to enter these fields at the college level and as a career. 

The goal is to prepare our young men for whatever they strive to do when they leave our building, whether that be an advanced engineering pathway at Purdue University or the trades. They will be prepared for both.

John HarringtonPrincipal

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSE LIST

855 DUAL CREDIT FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

1 credit/Dual Credit weight
This course introduces students to the world of professional education. Students come away with
an initial understanding of the foundations of education: sociological, economic, legal, governance,
and financial, and their influence on teaching today. This general survey course is designed to help
them make an informed decision about whether to continue in teacher preparation at the collegiate
level. Three hours of college credit can be earned through enrollment in Lewis University’s dual
credit program.

865 INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE

1/2 credit/DeLaSalle weight
The course will introduce students to the policies, practices, and procedures of the American
criminal justice system. This course will provide an overview of the American criminal justice
process with emphasis upon its constitutional foundations (police, courts, and corrections), its
constitutional limits, ethical issues, and the right of the individual from arrest through sentencing to
release.

866 AMERICAN LAW AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM

1/2 credit/DeLaSalle weight
Students will learn about America’s legal system and will have an opportunity to explore potential
careers within the field of law. This course will cover an overview of civil law, criminal law,
constitutional law, individual’s rights, and American attitudes. Students get an insight into the causes
and consequences of legal and societal problems that ehy face in the United States today.

837 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

1/2 credit/DeLaSalle weight
The course is meant to empower student leaders and provide them the opportunity to explore their
personal history, cultivate their personal leadership philosophy, develop specific “soft skills”, and
utilize academic support within a structured environment. Students are expected to maintain high
standards in regards to behavior and academics as well as be a positive representative of Saint
Patrick High School on campus as well as off campus when participating in school events. This is a
course for self-discovery and empowerment. As in all walks of life, students will get out of this course what they put into it. Students also partake in Unified Sport and Best Buddies with a partnership through Vaughan Occupational School.

895 DUAL CREDIT ENGINEERING DESIGN GRAPHICS WITH MECHANICAL AUTOCAD

1 credit/DeLaSalle weight
Students will learn how to solve real world problems using engineering principles. They will also use
3-D modeling and CAD design software while applying math and science concepts to their projects.
An important component of the program is also the exploration of career opportunities in the field
of engineering and with the skills taught. Students can earn college credit through enrollment in
Triton College’s dual credit program.

257 SHAMROCK MEDIA PRODUCTIONS

.5 credit/DeLaSalle weight
This course explores elements of TV production and broadcasting as well as live streaming and
podcasting. TV PROD: Students will work both on camera and off to present a daily news program
as well as work behind the scenes producing community interest stories. PODCASTING: includes
exploration of elements of podcasting, recording and editing as well as developing a story format
for audio storytelling. LIVE STREAMING: Students will be taught the production, broadcasting,
and filiming components of running a live stream. There will be an expectation to particiapte in the
streaming of live events outside of the school day.

122 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT MARKETING

SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR, SENIOR

1/2 credit/DeLaSalle weight
This is a course designed to focus on the decisions a businessman must make as he plans, prices,
promotes, and distributes his products and services to the buying public, specifically in the Sports
and Entertainment market. Projects designed to help the student become a better communicator
will be completed and included among them will be product/service demonstrations, and script
writing for radio and television commercials, audio and video tape recording of student-developed
commercials, and group and individual sales presentations.

163 INCUBATOREDU@SPHS

SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR, SENIOR

1 credit/Honors weight
This course is designed to get students excited about becoming true entrepreneurs by giving them
the opportunity to create and fully develop their own product or service. Real-world entrepreneurs
and business experts will serve as coaches and mentors guiding student teams through the process
of ideation, market research, and business plan development. Over the course of the year, student
teams will learn about marketing, accounting, as well as the legal aspects of starting a business. They
will have access to a network of professionals to further develop their skills (teamwork, problem
solving, presentation, communication) for college and career readiness. Pitch Week helps to further
fire the entrepreneurial spirit by putting student teams in front of actual investors so they can pitch
their innovative idea to win funding and turn their wishful thinking into a reality.

PREREQUISITES: Approval of the IncubatorEDU instructor with the completion of an
essay and a personal interview and a counselor recommendation.

172 ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SMALL BUSINESS OPERATIONS (ESBO)

SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR, SENIOR

1/2 credit/DeLaSalle weight
Entrepreneurship will give an overview of the American business system. It surveys varying forms
of ownership, business organization, management operations, and financing as they relate to
business. The course will focus on ideas, practices, and the best policies and procedures of small
business operations, job skills, customer service, customer behavior, risk management, and human
resource management. It will also explore general themes in business ethics and business law as they
relate to small business operations and management

152 PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING

JUNIORS AND SENIORS

1 credit/DeLaSalle weight
This course covers the fundamentals of accounting. The proper forms and papers necessary for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations will be analyzed. There is also a section in the
course on state and federal taxes.

173 INCUBATOR II

JUNIOR, SENIOR

1 credit/Honors weight
Incubator II is a course that students can enroll in if they receive funding to implement the business
they created in the INCubatorEDU course. The focus in this course is on scaling the business that
was pitched to the investors at the end of the INCubatorEDU course. Students will run their
businesses for the full school year. Areas of importance include: incorporating the business,
project/time management, opening a business bank account and managing funds, conducting
quarterly investor presentations, developing a marketing plan, developing a sales playbook, working
with financials and an accounting management system, acquiring customers, doing presentations to
potential customers, website development, production management, prototype development, and
fully running the business that was created in the INCubatorEDU program.

PREREQUISITES: Funding of the INCubatorEDU project and approval of the
INCubatorEDU instructor.