Career and Technical Education Program
Preparing for the Future
Milton Hershey School’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program and its 12 career pathways prepare students for college or career. The program combines tailor-made instruction and hands-on learning with the ability to gain industry-recognized certifications and real-life experience through internships, co-ops, and pre-apprenticeships. Learn more about this hallmark MHS program.
CTE Career Pathways
Read about each of the 12 Career and Technical Education program career pathways at Milton Hershey School.
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Agriculture has deep roots at MHS and is a natural career pathway. Today, the field is so much more than basic farming!
Automotive Technology
In the Automotive Technology pathway, students get hands on. They drive their learning within this modern and increasingly high-tech field.
Business/Financial Management & Accounting
Students learn the fundamentals to prepare themselves for leadership beyond MHS.
Career and Technical Education at MHS
CTE has been engrained in Milton Hershey School’s history for more than 100 years. Our founders were purposeful about working training into the school’s curriculum. They wanted students to learn the necessary skills to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Today, the CTE numbers speak for themselves:
- 45% of MHS alumni are employed in a field that matches what they studied at MHS
- 58% of MHS alumni earned a college degree that matches their career pathway
Hands-On Learning
CTE and integrating STEAM into programming is a focus at MHS. It is included in our 2020 Vision Strategic Plan. MHS curriculum aligns with the current job market to prepare students for 21st century careers, with a focus on 12 CTE career pathways. Unique pre-apprenticeship and postsecondary apprenticeship opportunities are being developed within many of these pathways to support evolving student interests and needs.
CTE By the Numbers
All students can earn state- and nationally recognized certifications. Within our 12 career pathways, students have more than 90 industry-recognized certification chances.
- 100% of 2015 to 2019 graduates earned at least two industry-recognized certifications
- 1,679 total industry-recognized certifications earned by the Class of 2019
- 91 students in high school interned in 2019 (highest in internship program history)
- 69 graduates in the Class of 2019 gained authentic work experience through internships and co-ops
Outstanding Teachers and Facilities
The CTE experience at MHS features:
- State-of-the-art facilities that simulate real work environments
- Instructors who are experts in their fields
- Specialized classes that reflect the needs of employers everywhere
Local experts serve on the advisory committees of each career pathway. This ensures the school’s curriculum, certifications, and workplace experiences meet high standards. It also helps to make sure these elements are always relevant in the current workplace.
Authentic Work Experiences
MHS seeks to build upon the technical skills students gain in CTE classrooms. Through the development of strong partnerships in the business community, we are doing just that. We are proud to offer students meaningful internship, co-op, and pre-apprenticeship experiences. These experiences match their chosen career paths.
Students can work in authentic work environments. They learn directly from professionals. It is a constructive way for students to explore a particular career or industry. It also introduces them to employability skills such as time management and organization.
Hershey Entity Partners
Skills Gained
- Solidify career goals
- Gain employability skills
- Enhance technical skills
- Gain self-confidence
- Build a professional network
College Classes Offered
MHS offers 13 college classes through its CTE program. The program gives students the ability to earn college credits while still in high school. They can assess whether college is the right path for them.
- (4) – Health Science: Pennsylvania College of Health Science
- (4) – Health Science: Harrisburg Area Community College
- (2) – Law, Public Safety & Security: Lebanon Valley College
- (2) – Business/Financial Management & Accounting: Lebanon Valley College
- (2) – Business/Financial Management & Accounting: Carlow University
