Frequently Asked Questions

My student is planning on attending college. Aren't Career & Technical Education courses for students who are going to work after high school?

Two culinary students prepare food at Quincy High.

About 82% of Career & Technical Education students continue their education at 2-year, 4-year, or specialized post-high school training courses.

Employers today expect a well-educated employee who makes a life-long commitment to learning. Career & Technical Education students get the same thorough college-prep education as our non-Career students. The difference is that Career & Technical Education students get additional  training in their area of career interest. For example, students interested in health care careers can take patient care classes and get real-life medical care experiences at area health care facilities. This gives students applying to nursing or pre-med programs a real edge over students who only have classroom learning.

What about colleges or training after high school? Do Career & Technical students get into good colleges?

Career & Technical Education students are accepted into some of the most competitive schools in New England and across the country. Students have attended Boston University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Boston College, UMass, Johnson & Wales, Northeastern University, Parsons School of Design, and many other regional and national educational institutions. Our students are recruited for both their academic excellence and their unique technical experience.

My student really does not know what his career interests are yet. How can you help him?

There are several ways we can help students identify potential areas of career interest. As Freshman (9th grade) all students take Freshman Seminar Career Exploration. Students take short classes in career majors, giving them an opportunity to learn about the wide range of careers available. For example, students interested in creative careers can learn about opportunities in culinary, graphic design, fashion, and broadcasting. Students who are interested in how things work can learn about engineering and electrical, or computers. Our goal is to open student's eyes to well-paying careers that fit their interests and academic goals.

Our Career Center offers career testing services, internships, job shadowing, and more. Students can get a real-world experience in many businesses in our community. Career Counselors provide one-stop shopping for employment, career testing, internships and more! Counselors can work with students to help establish career goals and identify training needed to succeed.

My student is in 11th grade. Is it too late to change or enter Career pathways?

No. While most students will begin their career training courses in 10th grade, students in 11th or even 12th grade can benefit from the career training courses. Students who begin courses later 10th grade may not have the opportunity to take all the courses in their career pathway, but will still gain insight and training not commonly available to high school students. Talk to your student's guidance counselor to learn about the benefits of the Career & Technical Education learning environment.

Do all students have to work outside the classroom?

It depends on the goals of the student and the particular Career & Technical Education pathway your student selects. Some pathways are more geared to outside employment (carpentry, electric, auto) than others (fashion, engineering). We have years of experience and extensive community connections which allow students to be placed appropriately for their career goals to facilitate learning and help them build experience that will impress colleges or employers.

Please review the individual career pathways for details.

How are students selected for Career & Technical Education pathways?

Students in grade 9, 10, and 11 apply for the Career & Technical Education (CTE) program of their choice. High school-age Quincy residents who are current QPS students, private or parochial school students, and home-schooled students may apply for admission to CTE programs.

Admission to all programs is granted based on scholastic achievement, attendance, conduct, recommendations, and an interview.

My student speaks limited English or a has a disability. Can they still apply to the program?

Students with limited English proficiency may receive assistance with the application. Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations and/or assistance with the application process.

I don't live in Quincy, but my student is very interested in your Career & Technical Education programs. My town/city does not offer anything like this. Can she attend?

Students not residing in Quincy may be accepted on a space-available basis. Students must go through the same application process as QPS students. The student's home town/city school district must also agree to pay tuition to the City of Quincy for the cost of this program.

I still have questions. Who should I talk to?

A good first step is to speak with your student's guidance counselor. If you don't know who your student's guidance counselor is, or are not sure how to contact that counselor, call the main office at Quincy High School at 617-984-8754. They will be able to direct you to the right person.

You may also call the Career & Technical Education Department Chair at 617-376-3324. You may also call Keith Segalla, the Career & Technical Education Director at 617-984-8731.

Regardless of who you talk to, please reach out to us. We are happy to answer questions and get you any information you need to help you decide on career training for your student.