What is Tech Prep?  Tech Prep is the doorway into an exciting future.  Tech Prep offers all students the opportunity to receive valuable education, technical skills, and specialized training that assists students in meeting challenging academic and technical standards, including preparation for high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand careers.  It’s right here in your high school and it’s free!

What’s in it for me?  Times have changed since your parents were your age.  As a young adult in today’s world, your success will be determined as much by the smart career choices that you make as it will be by the good grades that you earn while you are in school.  More and more of today’s jobs require technical skills and specialized training.  This means that it is important for you to find out about yourself – what you like to do and what your talents are so that you can get the right education, training, skills, and experience to get into the best job for you - ASAP.

How long will it take me?  Tech Prep saves students time.  As a Tech Prep student you can get college credit for coursework you finish in high school.  This means you can reach your educational and career goals in a much shorter time.  You can actually get up to 12 college credit hours – that’s about 4 college courses – while you are still in high school - for free. 

What will I get?

As a Tech Prep student you get lots of bonuses -

• Exciting high-demand career options – Opportunities are available in challenging fields like health care, education, computers
• High-wage potential – Specialized technical training increases your potential to earn a salary at well above the local, state, and national averages
• Early completion – You can reach your goals of training, certification, licensure, or AAS degree in as little as 1½ years after high school graduation
• Free college credit – Tech Prep students earn free college credit while they are still in high school
• High-skill experience - Hands-on training helps you learn more about yourself and what challenging and exciting technical career is best for you

What if I don’t know what I want to do yet?  That’s OK.  In fact, Tech Prep is the perfect place for you.  Through Tech Prep, you have the opportunity to explore your career options early in a hands-on, challenging environment that helps you discover your own interests and talents.  Practical, real-world experiences prepare you to pursue your interests and goals in a wide variety of high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand technical careers.  Through these high school experiences, you can learn valuable social skills, a positive work ethic, and gain the motivation and confidence to be successful in your future chosen career.  And a nice benefit of Tech Prep is that if your interests and goals change, you can move into a program that better fits your needs. 

When I finish high school, will I have to go away to college?

NO.  Because Tech Prep involves local community colleges and local business and industry, you can stay close to home.  After high school, you can go to a community or technical college in your area to complete your education and training.  From there, you can move directly into a meaningful job with business and industry right in your own community or neighborhood.

How am I going to pay?  Tech Prep is free and can potentially save you almost $900 in college costs!

How do I do it?  All you have to do to get more information about Tech Prep is contact your local high school guidance counselor or visit the Tech Prep Texas website at www.techpreptexas.org .

Rev. 2008