Seattle Skills Center

School Year Courses

Course Descriptions and Locations

Pathways to college, career, and life!

School Year Skills Center courses are a half day – three periods out of a six period school day, or around 2.5 hours.

Courses are a full year long. Students that complete a year of Skills Center courses earn 3 CTE credits. Many of our courses offer credit equivalency in fields other than CTE including Math, Science, English, and Physical Education. See our course list below for more details.

2026-2027 Courses

Watch students share their advanced manufacturing experiences.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Rainier Beach High School
  • Address: 8815 Seward Park Ave S

Advanced Manufacturing: Aerospace and Maritime

  • Credit Equivalencies in Math and Science available (Year 1 only)
  • Dual College Credit available and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Science, Engineering, and Industry – Seattle is home to two of the world’s biggest and most dynamic industries: Aerospace and Maritime manufacturing! Students learn key manufacturing skills used in shipyards and aerospace employers in the Pacific Northwest. Our students learn safety, tool identification and proper use, fastener installation, machining, welding, fabrication, and much more! We help students gain industry experience with the chance to earn college credit and prepare them for an upcoming and fulfilling career in industry.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Washington Middle School or West Seattle High School
  • Washington Middle School Address: 2200 S Lane St, Seattle WA 98144
  • West Seattle High School Address: 3000 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Automotive Technology

  • Credit Equivalency with Science available (Year 1 only)
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Science, Engineering, and Industry – Are you interested in a hands-on class that requires critical thinking and passion for the auto industry? Gain a solid foundation and employable skills in automotive technology through our automotive classes! Students learn about brake systems, maintenance, and other systems that function within a vehicle.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Rainier Beach High School
  • Address: 8815 Seward Park Ave S

Construction Trades

  • Credit Equivalency in Math and Science available (Year 1 only)
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Science, Engineering, and Industry – This hands-on course covers both residential and commercial construction with an emphasis on job site safety. We focus on employability skills, problem-solving, trainability, team building, while working together to build tiny homes for unhoused people. Students gain experience with the tools and exposure to specialties including: Cement and Masonry, Wood Frame Carpentry, Roofing, Siding, Drywall and Painting, Finish Carpentry, Cabinet Installation, Flooring and Countertops.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Washington Middle School
  • Address: 2200 S Lane St, Seattle WA 98144

Firefighting and Emergency Medical Services

  • Credit Equivalency with Lab Science and PE (not Personal Fitness) (Year 1 only)
  • Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Science, Engineering, and Industry – This course prepares students for careers as fire fighters and other emergency services careers. Student cadets leave class able to manage themselves and others during high-stakes emergency events, taking on a sense of responsibility and ownership for positive outcomes. Learn more about our curriculum.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Lincoln High School
  • Please go to the South side of the building, entrance located on N 43rd St.

Medical Assisting

  • Cross Credits in Science or Applied Math available
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Health & Human Services – Enter Medical Assisting, a fast-growing medical profession that combines people skills, organization, and compassion in a medical setting! Students practice the language and skills of doctors and other health professionals, using core knowledge that leads to healthcare, medical assisting, and medical office assisting occupations. The program uses National HOSA student leadership projects, modules, computer programs, industry standards, college curriculum, and problem-based activities in school and industry settings.

View student interviews about the Skills Center Maritime programming.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Seattle Maritime Academy and Center for Wooden Boats
  • Seattle Maritime Academy Address: 4455 Shilshole Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
  • Center for Wooden Boats Address: 1010 Valley St, Seattle, WA 98109

Maritime Vessel Operations

  • Credit Equivalency in American Government (Social Studies)
  • Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Science, Engineering, and Industry – Learn how to work on ships in Puget Sound! This course blends modern and traditional seafaring and deckhand skills with training in engine maintenance and repair. Students learn what it takes to work on fishing vessels, ferryboats, cargo ships and more. They develop fundamental skills in navigation, tides, currents, boat handling, knots, safety, communications, radar, tool use, and marine engine maintenance and repair.  Course work is taught on the water and in the classroom. Students prepare for summer jobs and further training after high school that could result in Coast Guard certification.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Nova High School
  • Address: 2410 E Cherry St, Seattle WA, 98122

Media Arts: Creating for Social Media

  • Credit Equivalency in Fine Arts available
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Technology –

If you want to learn how to create content for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other social media platforms – this is the place! Get the skills you need to create compelling graphics, animations, and videos for online use. You’ll acquire experience in the entire content pipeline – from planning to postproduction – in a project-based environment that welcomes your unique interests and creativity. Even if you don’t end up in the media arts industry, these skills are highly valuable for working in marketing, journalism, communications, or starting your own business.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Franklin High School
  • Address: 3013 S Mt Baker Blvd, Seattle WA, 98144

Nursing Assistant

  • Credit Equivalency with Science available
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Health & Human Services – Nursing Assistant training is a fast track to post-secondary Health Sciences, and related Nursing Careers! Nursing is considered one of the entry points into the medical profession. In our Skills Center course, Students complete the 11 national health foundation standards, test basic knowledge and skills in their classroom and clinical site, then test for state licensure. Students in the CNA course must turn 16 years old by the time clinicals begin, which can be as early as March 1.

*To prepare for the Nursing Assistant Certification test and complete the coursework for this program, hands-on learning (“clinicals”) at an assisted living care will take place in second semester. Students are required to provide proof of several common vaccinations before entry into assisted living facilities, and these vaccinations will likely continue to include COVID vaccine and boosters. During clinicals, under the guidance of licensed staff, students will perform CNA tasks on real human patients, including cleaning of genitalia.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Franklin High School
  • Address: 3013 S Mt Baker Blvd, Seattle WA, 98144

Teaching Academy/Careers in Education

  • Credit Equivalency with English available
  • Dual College Credit and Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Health & Human Services – This comprehensive course allows students to explore the world and work of teaching and the field of education. Through hands-on learning, students gain experience working in various educational settings and prepare for success in post-secondary teaching programs. Following successful completion of this course students may take the instructional assistant test which can lead to career opportunities in Seattle Public Schools including childcare, instructional assistant, teacher, principal, and school counselor.

Location:

  • School year 2025-26: Nova High School
  • Address: 2410 E Cherry St, Seattle WA, 98122

Video Game Design

  • Credit Equivalency in Fine Arts and Geometry available
  • Industry Certification available

Career Pathway: Technology – Create animation and games! Students learn sketching and story-boarding in 2D animation and concepts of 3D. They learn skills necessary for a career in the animation and gaming industry. This course is a great preparation for college and career and provides a fantastic opportunity for students to express themselves creatively while learning industry standard technical skills.