Tech Prep provides students with career programs of study that are articulated between secondary and postsecondary education and employment and creates a seamless system of education. Tech Prep culminates in a postsecondary diploma, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree and employment in a technical, supervisory, or management level position. With over 80 percent of all occupations requiring advanced skill training beyond high school but less than a four-year degree, Tech Prep aligns two to four years of high school instruction with two to four years of postsecondary instruction in programs of study that lead to advanced levels of employment in high-demand career fields.

Two-plus-two-plus-two programs of study have become increasingly popular with the establishment of the Baccalaureate of Applied Science (BAS) degree at four state colleges and universities, which assures the transfer of credit from all two-year technical education programs to the four-year BAS degree program. To facilitate the Tech Prep advantage, 37 local consortia have been developed throughout the state to facilitate seamless student transitions from high school to postsecondary education.

In the long run, Caterpillar has received many benefits from the Tech Prep program, which both allows students to see if a related career is something they would be interested in and gives them opportunities for learning what the workplace is really like. This reduces the likelihood of job jumping after employment, produces better employees, and allows the company the opportunity to select students with better skills and preparation for its full-time workforce.
Caterpillar Inc.
Peoria, Illinois