Tech Prep

What is Tech prep?

Tech Prep is a way for you to learn a living and earn free college credit while in high school. Tech Prep education pathways streamline the link between high school and college. This means saving time, energy and money.

In following the Tech Prep Programs, you will receive state-of-the-art instruction – both in the classroom and on the job. Classes emphasize the academic and workplace skills that Concho Valley area employers are demanding.

You will graduate from high school with both career skills and the credentials for entering college because Tech Prep is really two educations in one – college prep and job prep. You also earn COLLEGE CREDIT at Howard College!

Howard College, the Concho Valley Partnership, and the Concho Valley Independent School Districts are proud to offer Tech Prep Programs of study in the following areas:

You can earn college credit in any of these Tech Prep Programs by taking the courses offered at your high school. All programs include a Technology Component, so don't worry about being left out if your school doesn't offer courses in your area of interest. You will still be ahead of your peers when you get to Howard College if you take advantage of the Tech Prep courses in Technology! If you are interested in any of these programs, contact your school counselor to develop your Program of Study!

Tech Prep Fair

The Concho Valley Partnership has conducted the Tech Prep Fair for high school students since 2000. At the Tech Prep Fair, students from 22 Independent School Districts compete against one another by completing projects that relate to their Tech Prep Cluster.

At the beginning of the Fall Semester, students are broken into groups of 3 to 10 members. These groups follow the eight week timeline to prepare their project. They first select a topic, research the topic, develop a project based upon their research, complete the project, write a written report, and create a display. The students then present their projects to employers and community leaders at the Tech Prep Fair in San Angelo, Texas. Students must create a display, submit the written report, and prepare a 3 minute preliminary presentation and a 5 minute final presentation. Employers and community leaders judge the projects based upon their relationship to the Tech Prep Program, the students' ability to present the project in understandable terms, and creativity.

Students learn new and improve existing skills. They are able to apply skills learned in the classroom to their Tech Prep Fair Project. They also learn presentation and demonstration skills. Students learn from their peers while working in a cooperative setting. Students also learn how the skills they are learning in their Tech Prep Program translate to the real world. Finally, students are able to collaborate with and compete against peers from other schools across the 16,000 square mile Concho Valley Region.