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Career Pathways

LCPS, in partnership with Lenoir Community College, offers high school students the opportunity to earn certification in a variety of occupational skills or get a head start on college degrees that lead to prosperous careers. Career Pathways develops students’ understanding of careers that appeal to them so they leave Lenoir County Public Schools ready to succeed in those fields. They gain a solid education and career-related skills through a variety of high school courses, college courses, and/or service learning experiences. These specific career pathways don’t just lead to jobs, but to well-paying jobs for which workers are needed in eastern North Carolina.

What Does This Mean For Students?

  • Opportunities to complete a certificate, diploma or degree
  • Opportunities to earn additional college credit.
  • Opportunities to earn transferrable credit to any NC Community College or UNC System School
  • Opportunity to learn a new skill set for the student who will be seeking employment upon high school graduation

What Does This Mean For Parents?

  • Opportunity to save money on college tuition, since their student earns transferrable college course credit in high school
  • Opportunity to ensure their student graduates high school with a plan and the skills needed to take that plan to employment

Structure of a Career Pathway

  • Core content requirements, including PE, are “frontloaded” in the freshman and sophomore years of high school.
  • College concentration courses are taken during the junior and senior years.
  • High school Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses that enhance the pathway are included in the junior and senior years.
  • Post-secondary courses are included in each Career Pathway so students are prepared if they choose to complete the entire pathway for a more advanced degree.

Requirements for Enrollment

All students begin with general high school courses. Juniors and seniors can pursue a specific Career Pathway, but eligibility requirements vary.

College Transfer Pathway – Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Nurse, Teacher

  • Have weighted GPA of 3.0 on high school courses; and
  • Demonstrate college readiness on a placement assessment (NCDAP)
    • Students who do not demonstrate college readiness on a placement assessment may be provisionally enrolled

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway – Accounting, Automotive Customizing, Automotive Systems, Business Administration, Computer Engineering, Computer Integrated Machining, Networking Technology, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainability Technologies, Welding Technology

  • Have a weighted GPA of 3.0 on high school courses or have the recommendation of the high school principal; and
  • Must meet the prerequisites of any course

Maintaining Eligibility

Students who meet initial eligibility requirements for college courses must meet these criteria to maintain their eligibility.

  • Continue to make progress towards high school graduation;
  • Maintain a 2.0 GPA in college coursework after completing two courses; and
  • Not have an established pattern of withdrawals from any other college courses after the drop/add deadline

How Do I Get More Information On The Different Pathways?

Parents/guardians and students who are interested in the Career Pathways should contact their school counselor for more information.