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Career Pathways

CEC offers career pathways and technical education in a variety of industries, some of which are listed below. These programs incorporate a curriculum aligned with industry standards, leading to an industry-recognized credential so that students may be prepared to enter the workforce after high school.

Here’s a look across the network at what students can explore as potential career paths, with example courses listed by campus!

Courses and pathways may vary depending on availability. Please check with your advisor to see what is available at your campus.

Career Pathways and Technical Education at CEC

Aviation Pathway

Students explore flight, drone technology, and aviation systems. This pathway helps students earn the FAA Part 107 certification.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Drone Basics
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Intro to Aviation, Aviation Weather, UAS & Drone Technology, Advanced Flight
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Drones
  • CEC Castle Rock:
    Courses: Drones
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Intro to Aviation, Drones

Business programs focus on entrepreneurship, marketing, communication, and workplace readiness. Students in this pathway can earn certifications like Microsoft Office Suite, QuickBooks, ESB, and more.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Intro to Business, Business Law, Business Communication, Social Media for Business, Business Ethics
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Entrepreneurship Concepts, Microsoft 365 Fundamentals, Marketing Fundamentals
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Intro to Business, Business Communication, Business Law, Work-Based Learning, Marketing
  • CEC Castle Rock:
    Courses: Intro to Business, Business Communication, Business Law
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Intro to Business

Hands-on training in construction and skilled trades, which leads to certifications in HBI Pre-Apprenticeship, OSHA-10, and PACT CORE.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Principles of Construction (HBI), Woodworking I
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Principles of Construction (HBI), Carpentry, Electrical I
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Woodworking, Geometry in Construction

Students gain hands-on experience in programming, cybersecurity, networking, and emerging technologies. This pathway leads to certifications in Microsoft Office Suite, Cybersecurity, Python, HTML, and CSS, among others.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: PC Applications, Principles of Computing, AI and App Development, Cybersecurity A/B, Computer Programming I
  • CEC Online Campus:
    Courses: Digital Literacy, Computer Programming I & II, Certification Lab
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Digital Literacy, Certification Lab, Microsoft Applications, Unity
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: A+ Certification Courses, Networking, Programming, Computer Science Foundations
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Digital Literacy, Linux, Security Pro, Microsoft Academy, IT Fundamentals, Cyber Defense

Students explore law, forensic science, and the justice system.

  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Intro to Criminal Justice, Delinquent Behavior
  • CEC Online Campus:
    Courses: Forensic Science

Preparing future educators with foundational coursework.

  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Early Childhood Education, Guidance Strategies for Children

Engineering programs emphasize design thinking, robotics, and real-world problem solving.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Computer Modeling and 3D Printing, Engineering Innovation, Robotics
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Intro to Engineering, Digital Electronics, Robotics
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Robotics, SolidWorks
  • CEC Castle Rock:
    Courses: Engineering Design, Robotics
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Robotics

Colorado Early Colleges offers a strong foundation in health science across multiple campuses, giving students early exposure to medical and healthcare careers.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Anatomy and Physiology
  • CEC Online Campus:
    Courses: Anatomy and Physiology
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Intro to Health Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Terminology, Law and Ethics in Healthcare
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Intro to Health Science, Anatomy and Physiology
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems

Focused on wellness, intervention, and social services foundations.

  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Mental Health Crisis and Intervention, Intro to Behavioral Health, Intro to Social Work
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Mental Health Crisis and Intervention, Intro to Behavioral Health

Creative and digital media programs prepare students for careers in design, film, and content creation, plus a certification in Adobe.

  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Adobe Suite, Film I & II
  • CEC Online Campus:
    Courses: Digital Photography, Adobe, Game Design Development
  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: Unity Certified User
  • CEC Douglas County North:
    Courses: Applied New Media, Adobe Suite
  • CEC Castle Rock:
    Courses: Intro to Mass Media, Digital Media, Intro to Broadcasting
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Digital Art Foundations, Intro to Film

Additional programs support culinary, agriculture, and mechanical interests.

  • CEC Aurora:
    Courses: ServSafe I & II
  • CEC Online Campus:
    Courses: Horticulture: Growing the Future, Food Science
  • CEC Colorado Springs:
    Courses: Cooking, Horticulture
  • CEC Fort Collins:
    Courses: Small Engine Repair