Built at the district’s Northeast Campus, the $13.5 million West MEC totals 16,500 square feet of advanced manufacturing floor space, complete with a clean room and industry-standard equipment. | Photo Credit: Courtesy of McCarthy Building Companies
叠测听贰谤颈肠听闯补测听罢辞濒濒
Career readiness education is implemented through multiple methodologies, increasingly adopted by听numerous听school districts, particularly within states such as Arizona. These approaches may include academies that integrate traditional core curricula with career-oriented instruction, as well as Career and Technical Education (CTE), which deliver specialized technical听education and certifications听aligned with specific trades or professions. The associated campuses and facilities are purposefully designed to equip students with educational experiences that prepare them for future careers.听
Each unique educational setting is customized to align with听particular industries,听occupations听or career trajectories,听necessitating听facilities that enable educators to effectively prepare students for their intended professions.听
鈥淭here are more diverse learning pathways available today than ever before,鈥澨齭aid听Tyler Shupe,听senior听director听of听Education Services听at McCarthy Building Companies听in Phoenix.听听听
Shupe works with school districts on behalf of McCarthy. He sees districts recognizing听that听career focused听education听is听of听growing听interest听to听communities,听students听and employers.听Responding to the听call,听they听are听customizing听learning spaces, whether听by听renovating an existing campus, expanding it, or building听entirely new facilities.听
听Shupe听has听led听several of these听education听projects in the Greater Phoenix area. Two听of these听include the听currently under construction听Agua Fria Union High School District鈥檚听(AFHSD)听new听Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater听campus in Litchfield Park, Arizona,听and the听recently completed听Northeast听Campus expansion听of听Western Maricopa Education Center, known as West-MEC, in听North听Phoenix.听
Designing Schools to Mirror the Workplace
A career- or arts-focused curriculum changes how the school must be designed compared with a traditional comprehensive high school, according to Shupe. The intention is to听create learning spaces that replicate the working environment.听
鈥淢ost academies and CTE spaces require not only a classroom for learning, but also a hands-on learning space,鈥� Shupe explained.听鈥淪tudents get time in the classroom and time learning by doing, and every program has its own classroom, lab, and space designed just for it.鈥�听听
In addition to the arts and CTE, academy high schools are being built or expanded to include current technology facilities for technology, manufacturing, healthcare听and听trades听education, and other specialized careers that might not require a four-year college degree for career starts.听
For West-MEC, McCarthy听recently听expanded its CTE for welding and advanced manufacturing. At Hilltop, the new $75 million campus听blends听both听high-tech听high school听classrooms with听facilities听for literary, visual, performing and media/digital arts programs. Undertaking such tasks goes beyond design and building.听
鈥淎cross our district, I鈥檝e seen how specialty learning environments truly change the way students connect with their education,鈥� said听Mark Yslas, Superintendent for听AFHSD.听鈥淲hether听it鈥檚听hands-on career programs, advanced academics, or real-world learning experiences, these spaces are built around our students鈥� interests and goals. By creating environments that reflect industry, innovation, and creativity,听we鈥檙e听helping ensure our students graduate prepared for whatever path they choose.鈥�听
Community Partnerships Shape Campus Development
Developing a specialized high school program requires strong collaboration with the community. For听AFHSD, the Hilltop project presented听challenges, which听is听common听for initiatives that have a focused purpose. The campus is听being built听on听the site of听a historic听estate, with an application underway for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.听As the highest point in the city,听The听Hilltop is physically prominent and serves as a central feature in the District鈥檚 Academies of the Southwest transformation.听听听
鈥淭he historic estate residences remain on-site and are in the process of being transformed into museum spaces,鈥澨齋hupe said,听as he numbered off all the stakeholders in this project beyond just the high school district administration, teachers and interested parents.听鈥淭he听property is owned by the City of Litchfield Park and leased to听AFHSD,听to听expand arts opportunities for students and residents alike,听an example of strong community partnerships听in action.鈥�听
Aligning Education with Regional Workforce Demand
West-MEC has an entirely听different set听of collaborators. The Phoenix area has become听the听Silicon Desert. Taiwan-based TSMC is building one of the largest chip fabrication plants in the world. With it, Greater Phoenix is seeing extensive industrial听development,听听and听electric-vehicle and associated parts manufacturing. With the volume of new businesses, there is an insatiable demand for well-trained future employees.听
鈥淲est MEC establishes industry advisory committees for each program,鈥� Shupe explained. 鈥淭hese committees guide the district on emerging skills and priorities for student learning. West MEC then equips students with the certifications they need to transition directly into the workforce upon graduation.鈥�听
Built at the district’s Northeast Campus, the $13.5 million project totals听16,500 square feet听of advanced manufacturing floor space, complete with a clean room and industry-standard equipment. Also included is an electric vehicle bay that they outfitted to create a next-generation teaching facility for EV technology.听
鈥淥ur programs are built in partnership with the community and industries we serve,鈥� said West-MEC Superintendent Dr. Scott Spurgeon. 鈥淭hat collaboration ensures West-MEC students are听trained on current technology and workforce expectations, strengthening both individual career pathways and our regional economy.鈥�听
Experience and Coordination Drive Successful Outcomes
CTE curriculum and facilities听isn鈥檛听something new for McCarthy. Shupe said that the construction company has partnered with West-MEC听over the last fifteen years听on three other campuses and many other school districts on a variety of听other CTE programs听and spaces.听
鈥淲e understand the importance听of hearing from听industry leaders听and working closely with the district and听our design partners听to provide听a听highly productive听learning environment that鈥檚 state-of-the-art,鈥� he said.听鈥淲e bring our听expertise听in听school construction to these projects and听work through a process that听incorporates feedback along with best practices to achieve the goals of the district and its听stakeholders.听We鈥檙e听all focused on student success, which makes these projects particularly rewarding.鈥澨�听
Building today鈥檚听career-oriented听learning听campuses,听renovating听or expanding an existing facility requires unique experience, from understanding project听objectives听and听collaborating with the community, to knowing how to build a successful school.听
鈥淲e learn as much听about听the project as we can, the needs of the client, and how the building is going to be used,鈥澨齭aid听Shupe. 鈥淓very program is unique, and we start by understanding what needs to go into that space.听鈥淭he effort involves a higher degree of coordination than what鈥檚 needed for conventional construction projects.鈥�听
Eric Jay Toll听is听a freelance writer and Communications Manager for the city of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department.听