Welcome to South High School's Career and Technical Education web page. Career and technical education provides students with... • Academic subject matter taught with relevance to the real world, often called contextual learning. • Employability skills, from job-related skills to workplace ethics. • Education pathways that help students explore interests and careers in the process of progressing through school.
Grants focused on educational reform initiatives have created many real-world learning experiences for the CTE students at South High. Partnerships with post-secondary institutions, such as Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology, have placed South High CTE Students in programs related to manufacturing, engineering, and/or information technologies. Community partnerships with the Minneapolis Convention and Visitor's Center and the University of Minnesota Bell Museum have given South High students the opportunity to work with local artists and curators, and to have their work displayed in a public setting.
Student Organizations and Opportunities
Students have many opportunities to get involved by participating in Career and Technical Education related activities.
Career and Technical Education Instructors
The Career and Technical Education Department at South High School is a unique group of teachers. They come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and accomplishments. They have positive, forward thinking attitudes and are committed to student achievement. They promote and encourage change and growth in curriculum to better prepare their students for the future.
More information about Career and Technical Education
Additional links related to CTE.
Course Offerings
Choose from Graphic Communications, Architectural and Engineering Design, Information Technologies, Machine Shop and Project Lead the Way - a pre-engineering program.
CLASSES
Introduction to Engineering Design - PLTW Open to: All students Co-requisite: Enrollment in Algebra I or above. Length: Year-long Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) is an introductory course, which develops student problem solving skills, with emphasis placed upon the concept of developing 3-D models and solid model renderings of their products. Students focus on the application of visualization processes and tools provided by modern, up-to-date computer hardware and software including Inventor, which is an industry standard software package. The course will cover the design development process of a product and how a model of the product is produced, analyzed and evaluated. Students will also explore and discuss career opportunities in Engineering.
Principles of Engineering - PLTW Open to: All 10th, 11th, 12th grade students Prerequisite: Introduction to Engineering Design Co-requisite: Enrollment in Geometry or above Length: Year-long Principles of Engineering (POE) is a course that helps students understand the field of engineering/engineering technology. Exploring various technology systems and manufacturing processes help students learn how engineers and technicians use math, science and technology in an engineering problem solving process to benefit people. The course also includes concerns about social political consequences of technological change. POE‘s key concepts are communication, design process, statics, material testing, and kinematics.
Digital Electronics - PLTW Open to: All 10th, 11th, 12th grade students Prerequisite: Introduction to Engineering Design Co-requisite: Enrollment in Geometry or above. Length: Year-long Digital Electronics (DE) is a course of study in applied digital logic. Students will study the application of electronic logic circuits and devices and use Boolean logic to find solutions to problems. Understanding logic circuits and the use of smart circuits is how computers, video games, calculators, and other such devices are created. The use of smart circuits is present in virtually all aspects of our lives making it an important course of study for students exploring a career in manufacture and engineering technologies. Students will learn how to use Circuit Maker, an industry standard, to test and analyze their own designs, generate printed circuit boards, and construct the design using chips and other components.
Computer Integrated Manufacturing - PLTW Open to: All 10th, 11th, 12th grade students Prerequisite: Introduction to Engineering Design Co-requisite: Enrollment in Geometry or above Length: Year-long Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) will be presenting the fundamentals of computerized manufacturing technology. The course is taught using demonstrations and discussions combined with individual and team-centered project based learning. CIM focuses on concepts in computer modeling, computer numeric controlled (CNC) equipment, computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software, robotics in manufacturing, and flexible manufacturing systems.
Civil Engineering and Architecture - PLTW Open to: All 10th, 11th, 12th grade students Co-requisite: Enrollment in Algebra 1 or above Length: Year-long This course provides an overview of the fields of Civil Engineering and Architecture, while emphasizing the interrelationship and dependence of both fields on each other. Students use up-to-date software to solve real world problems and communicate solutions to hands-on projects and activities. This course covers topics such as: the roles of civil engineers and architects, project planning, site planning, building design and construction, project documentation and presentation.
Engineering Design and Development/Entrepreneurship Open to: All 11th & 12th grade students Prerequisite: PLTW coursework or instructors permission Co-requisite: Enrollment in Algebra 2 or above. Length: Year-long This course consists of two parts. The course begins with students working in teams to research, design and construct a solution to an open-ended engineering problem. You and your team will present progress reports, submit a final written report and defend their solutions to a panel of outside reviewers at the end of the school year. Second semester brings the addition of Entrepreneurship. Students will use standards and project-based pedagogy, emphasizing the development of leadership skills and actively engaging students through relevant curriculum and inquiry based instruction. Students will engage in sustained study and extended application of leadership and entrepreneurship concepts and processes.
Adobe Illustrator Open to: All students Prerequisite: Design Theory Length: Semester The student will work with Adobe Illustrator CS3, understand the Adobe Illustrator workspace, customize the workspace, understand how to use the various help facilities provided, use the navigator panel, demonstrate selecting and aligning, use of magic wands, group items, work with shapes, drawings, and demonstrate the use of various drawing tools, demonstrate various transformation techniques including scaling, reflecting, rotating, distorting, shearing, changing perspective, make multiple transformations and how to position objects, demonstrate proficiency using the pen tool, work with color and painting, work with type, and layers. Upon completion of this course the student will complete a final project using techniques from lessons learned. This course satisfies a fine arts credit for graduation. Articulation Agreement with St. Paul College: upon successful completion of this high rigor course you will be granted 1.5-semester credit transferable to any MNSCU college.
Adobe InDesign Open to: All students Prerequisite: Design Theory Length: Semester This class introduces the student to InDesign CS3, introduces the best workflow practices. Topics include document setup, working with frames, importing and editing text, typography, color and color management, and working with styles, importing and linking graphics, creating, importing, and formatting tables, working with transparency, working with long documents, output, and PDF exporting, and using XML. Upon completion, the student will demonstrate their mastery of the material by completing a final class project. This course satisfies a fine arts credit for graduation. Articulation Agreement with St. Paul College: upon successful completion of this high rigor course you will be granted 1.5-semester credit transferable to any MNSCU college.
Digital Photography 1 Open to: All students Length: Semester This course introduces the student to digital photography and relates it to Web design advantages of digital photography, advantages of analog photography, hybrid digital photography, maximizing image definition, utilizing camera features, light, composition, on-location shooting, studio shooting, useful photo accessories, computer requirements, converting analog to digital, cataloging and managing images and choosing an image editing program. This is a hands-on course where the students will develop a project using the knowledge gained in class. This class is the foundation course in media arts and satisfies a fine arts credit for graduation and the prerequisite for the advanced classes: Adobe Photoshop and Digital Video 1. Articulation Agreement with St. Paul College: upon successful completion of this high rigor course you will be granted 1.5-semester credit transferable to any MNSCU college.
Adobe Photoshop Open to: All 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students Prerequisite: Digital Photography 1 Length: Semester This course introduces the student to Adobe Photoshop CS3. Topics include the Photoshop interface, hardware and software requirements, file formats, pixels, vectors, resolution, color theory, Photoshop color management, masks, type and typography, painting tools and brushes, layers and layer styles, filters, extract, liquefy and the pattern maker. This is a hands-on course where the students will develop a project using the knowledge gained in class. This course satisfies a fine arts credit for graduation. Articulation Agreement with St. Paul College: upon successful completion of this high rigor course you will be granted 1.5-semester credit transferable to any MNSCU college. Students can attempt the Adobe Certified Associate exam upon completion of this course.
Digital Video 1 Open to: All 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students Prerequisite: Digital Photography 1 Length: Semester This course covers video production techniques. All phases of video production will be covered including pre-production, production and post-production with focus on creating digital video. Topics include screenwriting, photography, drawing, story concept, characters, plots, themes, digital tools, generating original ideas, incorporating plot goals, creating the final story, creating original characters, themes and visual metaphors, developing visual styles, developing digital production styles, creating visually expressive characters, developing set designs, conceptual lighting design, developing color palette, narrative sound design, production story-editing choices, digitally enhanced storytelling techniques, using modern 2D animation to expand our realities and using 3D animation to show anything imaginable. This course satisfies a fine arts credit for graduation. Articulation Agreement with St. Paul College: upon successful completion of this high rigor course you will be granted 1.5-semester credit transferable to any MNSCU college.
Machine Shop 1 Open to: All 10th, 11th and 12th grade students Length: Semester This class is very hands on and is designed to give you in-depth instruction and experiences in the operation and set-up of machine tools. You will make several projects out of metal using a wide range of machine tools that will give you skills in accurate measurement, working with close tolerances, reading blue prints and other skills related to Manufacture and Engineering Technologies. Students in this class will have an opportunity to tour businesses that do this type of work and visit Technical Colleges that offer Machine Tool programs. For those students who choose this class is a gateway to a State Certified Youth Apprenticeship Program.
Machine Shop 2 Open to: All 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students Prerequisite: Machine Shop 1 Length: Semester This class is also very hands on and will advance the skills and knowledge that you developed in Machine Shop 1 by building complex projects out of metal that will require your involvement in the design of these projects. These projects range from small working engines to tools and instruments used in machine tool and engineering programs. Students who complete this level 2 class will have gained the entry-level skills necessary to enter into a Machine Tool career. This class also supports a State Certified Youth Apprenticeship Program. Eleventh and Twelfth grade students will have the opportunity to take PSEO classes in machine tool at a number of Technical Colleges.
Machine Shop 3 Open to: All 10th, 11th and 12th grade students Prerequisite: Machine Shop 2 Length: Semester This class is a continuation of Machine Shop 2. This class will emphasize the blending of hands on and High Tech skills. Students in this class will have the opportunity to design and build their own projects using Computer Aided Design Drawing and Computer Numerically Controlled machining practices. Group and individual projects in this class will also support our Robotics and Project Lead the Way engineering classes. This class also supports a State Certified Youth Apprenticeship Program and Eleventh and Twelfth grade students will have the opportunity to take PSEO classes in machine tool at a number of Technical Colleges.