The Applied Technology Pathway offers students multiple 4-year, 20-credit sequences of Applied Technology courses that follow a sequence of skills and experiences that introduce students to a career in engineering, electronics, and architecture.
Each Pathway begins in 9th grade with the one-semester courses of Principles of Engineering and Reverse Engineering. These courses are designed to introduce students to safety and the technical skills needed to complete studies in all STEM fields.
The 9th grade courses are followed by a series of two full-year courses in the student’s choice of Materials Science and Processing, Architecture and Industrial Design, or Digital Electronics and Mechatronics in 10th and 11th grade. These full-year courses are designed to introduce a more in-depth study of three major interests of Engineering.
The pathway experience can culminate with an optional Work Based Learning (WBL) in the 12th grade tailored to the students' individual interests and coinciding with the chosen pathway. The credits that students earn for participating in an WBL will count as part of the 20 credits required to complete the pathway.
Analytical Ability (Defining contexts, nature of problems, interpreting data)
Spatial Intelligence (Ability to see and visualize objects in different views)
Fine and Gross Motor Skills (Using precision instruments and larger machinery)
Critical Thinking (Decision Making)
Writing Literacy (Procedural and Technical Writing)
Reading Literacy (Researching Technical Data and Developing Technical Vocabulary)
Interpersonal Skills (Group Work)
Financial Literacy ( Material Use/Calculation, Nature of Innovation)
Software Used:
Autodesk AutoCAD
AutoDesk Revit
Autodesk Inventor
Onshape
Robot C
TinkerCAD
G Suite- Google Apps
As a mechanical engineer, you might develop a bike lock or an aircraft carrier, a child’s toy or a hybrid car engine, a wheelchair or a sailboat—in other words, just about anything you can think of that involves a mechanical process, whether it’s a cool, cutting-edge product or a life-saving medical device. Mechanical engineers are often referred to as the general practitioners of the engineering profession, since they work in nearly every area of technology, from aerospace and automotive, to computers and biotechnology.
What would it feel like to have the expertise to build a school that could withstand an earthquake, a road system that puts an end to chronic traffic jams, or a sports stadium that offers everyone a great view? As a civil engineer, your job would be to oversee the construction of the buildings and infrastructure that make up our world: highways, skyscrapers, railways, bridges, and water reservoirs, as well as some of the most spectacular and high-profile of all engineering feats—think of the world’s tallest building, the towering Burj Khalifa in Dubai, or the Chunnel, the thirty-one-mile-long tunnel beneath the English Channel. Civil engineers are fond of saying that it’s architects who put designs on paper, but it’s engineers who actually get things built.
Robotics engineers work with computers and automated machines in technology-driven environments. These in-demand engineers have advanced science and math skills and need undergraduate degrees in engineering, mathematics or physical science. Their training should include hands-on experience in robotics. Higher-level robotics engineers need a state license, acquired by completing an accredited degree program, gaining experience in the field and passing two examinations.
Architectural engineers apply mathematical and scientific principles to building design, concentrating on structural demands and functionality while taking into account economic and safety factors. They may design systems within a building pertaining to, for instance, heating and air conditioning, lighting and plumbing. Architectural engineers need to be able to diagram designs manually as well as through computer-aided drafting (CAD). Since they often work in teams, good communication skills are necessary. Architectural engineers must also be comfortable in different work environments; they often divide their time between offices and construction sites.
Project control engineers work to understand the operational process of engineering. They specialize in designing, developing, installing, and maintaining engineering equipment. This equipment is mainly used to control engineering systems and machinery. Project control engineers ensure that the engineering systems work safely, efficiently, and effectively.
Structural engineering is considered a specialty of civil engineering, but while civil engineers may design roadways, tunnels, dams and bridges, a structural engineer ensures that specific architectural components such as beams, foundations, columns and floors are structurally sound. In addition to public safety concerns, structural engineers must also take into account aesthetics and cost efficiency. They often specialize in the types of structures they design and may work on projects ranging from nuclear power plants to hotels.
A hybrid of mechanical and electrical engineering, commonly intended to examine the design of automation systems.
Materials scientists apply their understanding of metals, ceramics, polymers, composites and electronic materials to develop new products and enhance existing ones. Materials science is a hybrid of biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.
"Green" design engineers comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability in their design of physical objects. These objects may range from small items for everyday use to large buildings, cities, and even the earth's physical surface. Sustainable design is closely aligned to environmental design and is a growing trend within the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, urban planning, engineering, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, and fashion design. The field of sustainable design is also referred to as green design, eco-design, or design for environment.
Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways to use people, machines, materials, information, and energy to make a product or to provide a service. Sometimes they are called “efficiency experts.” Manufacturing means making things. Manufacturing engineers direct and coordinate the processes for making things—from the beginning to the end. As businesses try to make products better and at less cost, it turns to manufacturing engineers to find out how. Manufacturing engineers work with all aspects of manufacturing from production control to materials handling to automation. the assembly line is the domain of the manufacturing engineer. Machine vision and robotics are some of the more advanced technologies in the manufacturing engineers’ toolkit.
An interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how to design and manage complex engineering projects over their life cycles. Issues, such as reliability, logistics, and coordination of different teams (requirements management), evaluation measurements, and other disciplines become more difficult when dealing with large or complex projects. Systems engineering deals with work-processes, optimization methods, and risk management tools. It overlaps technical and human-centered disciplines such as control engineering, industrial engineering, organizational studies, and project management. Systems engineering ensures that all likely aspects of a project or system are considered, and integrated into a whole.
A construction science professional oversees and coordinates a variety of residential, commercial, and civil construction projects. They work with designers, engineers, architects, and other professionals to complete these projects on time and within budget. Typically, construction science professionals work in an office - either from the company building or in the field - and are often required to travel from site to site.
Drafting and Design Engineering is an exciting career that allows the engineer to be involved in all stages of the design process, from conception to presentation of the finished plans. This career requires a working knowledge of drafting and design principles, material types and properties, and manufacturing processes.