Career Pathways

High School Diploma with Career Pathways for Your Employees

Penn Foster's High School Diploma with Career Pathway concentrations helps organizations create pathways to in-demand careers or advanced training. The career-focused content enables learners to develop practical skills they can apply directly in the workplace, or towards post-secondary education, all while earning an accredited high school diploma and a certificate of completion in a leading career field.

Career Pathway Concentrations

(5 CREDITS)

After completing the traditional high school curriculum, your learners will build foundational automotive repair skills in five career-focused electives.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Develop the foundational skills to be an effective auto repair technician
- Learn how to diagnose and repair malfunctions in engine components and subsystems
- Learn basic electrical concepts, including resistance, voltage, and current
- Learn the principles and functions of HVAC systems
- Learn about the operation of computerized gasoline-engine controls and performance systems
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will study the basics of the carpentry and construction industry to prepare for further training or work in the field.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn practical applications of basic math for use in the carpentry field
- Learn to interpret construction drawings and understand building codes
- Learn the common hand tools and power tools used by carpenters, including safety procedures
- Learn residential framing and exterior construction
- Study the types and sizes of drywall panels, as well as interior doors, locksets, ceilings, staircases, and flooring
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will get a head start on becoming a child care professional. They’ll build foundational skills that can be transferrable to a job in the field.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn the basics of child development and working with young children
- Learn observational techniques and how to assess behavior in children
- Learn how to plan and implement developmentally appropriate and creative curriculum
- Learn the basics of health, safety, and nutrition
- Learn about the developmental continuum of infants and toddlers
(5 CREDITS)

After completing their standard high school curriculum, your learners will build culinary skills and get a head start on a career as a chef in five job-focused electives.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn the basics of a proper kitchen, including layout and safety
- Learn the fundamental recipes for making stocks, sauces, and soups, and subtle nuances of flavor and texture
- Learn to cook delicious recipes for beef, veal, lamb, and pork
- Learn how to add variety to your diet by preparing different cuts of poultry and cooking it using various methods
- Experimenting with the many available preparation techniques to create light, healthful fish and shellfish dishes
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will then take five early college electives of their choice, helping them prepare for further education after graduation.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn effective writing techniques, including proofreading
- Acquire basic math skills that will be needed for more academically challenging, college-level courses
- Learn the ins-and-outs of Microsoft® Word,™ Microsoft® Excel,® and Microsoft® PowerPoint®
- Develop skills through humanities courses that are applicable to a variety of college classes
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will develop foundational skills and knowledge necessary to becoming an electrician.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn best practices for the apprentice electrician
- Learn about electrical components, conductors, conduit, and wiring
- Learn about heating and climate control
- How to interpret blueprints and schematic diagrams
- Understand the essential elements of the National Electrical Code®
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will build skills relevant to in-demand jobs in the healthcare industry.

By the end of this course, your learners be able to:
- Develop effective interpersonal and administrative skills
- Understand the importance of patient confidentiality and HIPAA regulations
- Build foundational medical terminology knowledge, including body systems terminology
- Understand procedures used to diagnose and treat diseases
- Calculating basic pharmacology mathematics and dosages and identifying medications related to different body systems
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will learn the foundational skills necessary for working in information technology.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn the basics of Microsoft® Word,™ Microsoft® Excel,® and Microsoft® PowerPoint®
- Develop basic computer programming skills
- Learn HTML to develop and publish custom web pages
- Understanding what a database is and what goes into creating and maintaining one
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the standard high school curriculum, your learners will build skills and knowledge to prepare them to get a head start in a career as a pharmacy technician.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn about the basics of pharmacy practice in various settings
- Learn about body systems including structure, function, diseases, disorders, and treatments
- Understand the different drug delivery systems, drug administration routes, drug classifications, and commonly used medications for various organ system disorders
- Learn basic math, algebra, and pharmaceutical calculations
- Understand laws that apply to healthcare including patient privacy and HIPAA regulations
(5 CREDITS)

After successful completion of the standard high school curriculum, your learners will develop foundational skills needed to get a head start on a career in plumbing through five job-focused electives.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Learn essential workplace safety skills
- Learn to design plumbing systems that are easily serviced
- Develop math skills needed for common plumbing jobs
- Understand what a plumber’s role is in installing HVAC systems
- Study common plumbing and carpentry tools
(5 CREDITS)

After completing the traditional high school curriculum, your learners will take the first steps toward building skills vital to working as a veterinary assistant through five job-focused electives.

By the end of this course, your learners will be able to:
- Develop career-ready soft skills
- Learn the essential anatomy and physiology terminology related to the veterinary field
- Practice taking good medical history, performing a thorough physical examination, and assisting the veterinarian in humane, safe, and effective ways
- Review types of wounds and wound care, parasites and parasitology, and animal habits and behaviors

News & Resources

Working with hundreds of leading organizations including employers, high schools, nonprofit organizations, and more, Penn Foster High School proudly sees more than 30,000 graduates annually.

MetroPower

MetroPower's leadership prioritized preparing their workforce for the future. In 2009, they established a Workforce Development Department led by Tony Varamo, aiming to cultivate a culture of lifelong learning and invest in employee skill development and career advancement opportunities for their 14,000+ employees.

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3 Ways to Prepare High School Students for Jobs

High school students, whether they are certain about their career goals or still exploring options, often feel unprepared for the workforce after graduation. Read how to prepare your learners to the workforce while they are earning their high school diploma.

EmployBridge

EmployBridge aids firms in hiring temporary associates across various sectors like manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing. Since its inception in 2017, the Better WorkLife initiative has facilitated over 30,000 associates to enroll in skills training courses. Read how Penn Foster and EmployBridge work together to upskill workers.

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