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Our high school skilled trades program is bringing something exciting to Royalmont Academy: the opportunity to explore carpentry, electrical, and plumbing while continuing a college-preparatory education.

Beginning in fall 2027, we plan to introduce hands-on coursework that helps students discover their gifts, develop practical skills, and prepare for their future.

For families wondering whether high school should prepare students for college or a career, our answer is simple. Why should they have to choose?

Royalmont’s skilled trades program combines college preparation, practical learning, and intentional Christian leadership development.

Why Are We Bringing Skilled Trades Into High School?

Over the past year, I have spoken with business owners and leaders across multiple industries. From family-owned enterprises to major corporations, their message has been remarkably consistent.

They need young people who can solve problems, communicate clearly, take initiative, and follow through when things become difficult.

Having spent more than 20 years in the corporate world, I understand that challenge. Technical knowledge matters. However, knowing how to apply that knowledge, work with others, and deliver results is equally important.

Those abilities develop through experience, responsibility, mistakes, correction, and perseverance.

At Royalmont, we believe education should prepare students to do more than pass examinations. It should prepare them to make a meaningful contribution to the world.

Skilled trades create another opportunity to put that belief into practice.

High School Skilled Trades Program: Our Four-Year Plan

Royalmont is developing a four-year skilled trades curriculum beginning with the 2027–2028 school year. Students would start by exploring construction fundamentals before having the opportunity to pursue a specific trade.

Freshman Year: Introduction to Construction Trades

Our planned freshman course introduces students to construction through supervised, hands-on learning.

Students would explore workshop safety, construction mathematics, reading drawings, tool usage, and the fundamentals of carpentry, electrical, and plumbing systems.

Imagine students working together to frame a wall. Before they begin, they must understand measurements, materials, safety, and the construction plan.

Then they must consider where electrical wiring and plumbing will fit. Suddenly, mathematics, planning, communication, and teamwork become very practical.

This introductory elective would allow students to discover interests and abilities before deciding whether to continue in a particular trade.

Sophomore Through Senior Year: Three Planned Pathways

Students who choose to continue could pursue one of three concentrations, developing increasingly advanced skills through senior year.

• Carpentry I, II, and III: Students progress from framing floors and walls to constructing roof and stair sections, installing finishes, building concrete forms, and inspecting completed work.
• Electrical I, II, and III: Students begin by reading diagrams and building circuits, advance to residential electrical systems, and explore commercial wiring and equipment controls.
• Plumbing I, II, and III: Students learn pipe and fitting fundamentals, assemble supply and drainage systems, install fixtures, and advance toward system sizing and troubleshooting.

Each year builds on the previous one. Students would apply classroom knowledge to practical projects while developing confidence, independence, and responsibility.

These are planned course sequences. Final schedules, facilities, and training arrangements remain under development.

What If My Child Never Pursues a Skilled Trade?

That may be one of the most important questions parents can ask.

Consider a student interested in engineering. Understanding how structures are built provides valuable experience with design, measurement, and materials.

Or consider a future entrepreneur. Estimating costs, managing resources, meeting deadlines, and delivering quality work are essential business skills.

Even students pursuing medicine, law, or other professions can benefit from learning to solve problems with their hands.

If a measurement is wrong, the pieces may not fit. Students must recognize the mistake, make adjustments, and try again.

That process builds perseverance, attention to detail, accountability, and problem-solving skills. Those abilities transfer to almost any profession.

College Preparation and Skilled Trades Belong Together

Royalmont is not replacing college preparation with vocational education. We are expanding the opportunities available to our students.

Students will continue rigorous academic coursework, including College Credit Plus opportunities. They will also participate in our intentional four-year Christian leadership experience.

In Logic, students examine arguments and learn to recognize faulty reasoning. Through Rhetoric, they develop public speaking and persuasive communication skills.

Our high school skilled trades program will create additional opportunities to apply critical thinking, communication, and leadership to real-world challenges.

Our article on critical thinking in high school explains how we help students develop these essential abilities across academic subjects.

What Could Students Earn by Graduation?

We want students to leave Royalmont with more than an introduction to tools and materials.

Our planned curriculum would provide opportunities to earn high school elective credits and develop a portfolio of supervised projects demonstrating practical skills.

We are also developing the curriculum around NCCER, the National Center for Construction Education and Research.

Our goal is for students continuing through a trade concentration to work toward NCCER Core and a Level 1 credential in their chosen field.

NCCER provides nationally recognized construction training credentials based on demonstrated knowledge and hands-on skills.

Earning these credentials requires successful assessments through an accredited program. Royalmont is working to confirm the necessary assessment arrangements and eligibility requirements.

Students may also use their experience when pursuing technical education or registered apprenticeships after graduation.

Apprenticeship admission, paid placements, and recognition of prior training depend on the receiving organization. These are potential next steps rather than guaranteed outcomes.

More Possibilities Beyond Construction

Our vision extends beyond carpentry, electrical, and plumbing.

We are also developing additional hands-on opportunities in culinary arts, student entrepreneurship, mentorship, and apprenticeship experiences. These initiatives are at different stages of planning.

Imagine students developing a business idea, calculating costs, managing operations, serving customers, and taking responsibility for results.

These experiences connect directly to our mission. Leadership develops when students face real challenges, make decisions, work with others, and accept responsibility for the outcome.

Faith, Leadership, and the Dignity of Work

At Royalmont, our Catholic identity is not separate from what students learn. It shapes why they learn and how they use their gifts.

Through the Regnum Christi approach to Integral Formation, we seek to develop students intellectually, humanly, spiritually, and apostolically.

That formation applies just as meaningfully to the student studying electrical systems as it does to the student studying advanced mathematics.

Honest work has dignity. Excellence matters. Serving others matters. Using our talents responsibly matters.

Whether a student becomes an engineer, electrician, entrepreneur, or physician, our mission remains the same: forming strong Christian leaders who transform society.

Why Would Parents Choose Royalmont for This Experience?

If you are considering a traditional college-preparatory high school, a career center, or a homeschool pathway, each offers valuable opportunities.

What makes Royalmont different is the way we are bringing these experiences together within a personalized Catholic education.

Students can pursue challenging academics, explore practical trades, receive individual accompaniment, and develop leadership skills through meaningful responsibility.

We do not believe every student needs to follow the same path to achieve success.

Instead, we want students to discover what they are capable of accomplishing, develop the character to pursue excellence, and recognize where God may be calling them.

Different gifts. Different paths. One mission: forming strong Christian leaders.

Discover What’s Coming to Royalmont High School

Our high school skilled trades program is planned to begin in fall 2027. Meanwhile, families can experience the academics, leadership opportunities, and Catholic formation already available at Royalmont.

Join us for the Royalmont High School Open House on Thursday, November 12, from 5–7 p.m. Meet our students and formators, explore our programs, and learn more about our vision for the future.

Reserve your place at the Royalmont High School Open House and discover what Royalmont could offer your student.

Common Questions Parents Ask

Will Royalmont still prepare students for college?

Yes. Royalmont’s skilled trades courses are planned to complement its college-preparatory program, not replace it. Students will continue core academic studies, with College Credit Plus opportunities and four years of Christian leadership formation.

Which skilled trades will Royalmont offer in high school?

Royalmont is planning introductory construction coursework followed by carpentry, electrical, and plumbing concentrations. Students would explore fundamentals in grade 9 and pursue more advanced courses in grades 10–12. Course availability depends on final implementation.

Can students take a trades course without completing all four years?

Yes. Royalmont’s planned curriculum allows students to begin with an introductory construction elective. Students interested in continuing could then pursue a trade concentration, subject to course availability and prerequisites.

Can Royalmont students earn a trade credential before graduation?

Royalmont’s goal is to help continuing students work toward NCCER Core and a Level 1 credential. These require knowledge and hands-on assessments through an accredited program. Royalmont is still confirming assessment arrangements and eligibility requirements.

Will completing the trades program guarantee an apprenticeship?

No. Completing high school trades coursework does not guarantee apprenticeship admission, employment, or credit for prior learning. Receiving programs make those decisions under their own requirements. Royalmont intends to help students develop relevant skills and training records.

Is Royalmont Academy a classical Catholic school?

Royalmont Academy offers a classically infused Catholic education grounded in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Regnum Christi formation. The curriculum integrates modern pedagogy while remaining faithful to Church teaching.