About the Advanced Technical Center

The Advanced Technical Center (ATC) has been created to remove barriers to access Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in the District.

It is an open-enrollment education center where students entering 9th–11th grade in DCPS or public charter schools can participate in CTE programs while remaining enrolled in the high school of their choosing.

The ATC offers two-year, four-course dual credit pathways in cybersecurity, health information technology, and general nursing. Students in every program can receive college course credit at no cost in addition to high school course credit, industry credentials, and paid internship opportunities. There is no application to enroll and students will be offered transportation support. ATC classes will run five days a week with two sessions offered each day.

Enrollment

Students who are entering grades 9 through 11 are eligible to enroll. There is no application required to enroll. To learn more, fill out this interest form. Interested students should talk with their school counselor to enroll.

Ward 8 ATC Expansion

DC CTE is launching a new Advanced Technical Center (ATC) in Ward 8 just in time to welcome its first cohort of students in 2025–2026 school year. The new Ward 8 ATC will be co-located with Whitman-Walker Health, which offers a comprehensive health clinic, a dentist’s office, a phlebotomy lab, a pharmacy, and behavioral health resources, and is two blocks from the new Cedar Hill Hospital.

Both Whitman-Walker Health and Cedar Hill Hospital have committed to providing instructional support for students enrolled in the Ward 8 ATC. The Ward 8 ATC will offer career learning pathways based on the high-need occupations identified by this partnership and community input. DC CTE is seeking feedback to understand which of these proposed programs are of greatest interest to the community. Expand the section below to learn more and take the survey.

Contribute Feedback on Ward 8 ATC's Programs

The ATC expansion will provide at least two new Programs of Study to OSSE students. The following five Programs have been identified based on local labor market data and input provided by the DC healthcare industry.

  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)
  • Radiologic Technologist & Technician
  • Behavioral / Community Health

DC CTE is seeking your feedback to understand which of these proposed programs are of greatest interest to the community. To help inform your feedback, we’ve linked some additional resources below, which include local labor market data for occupations associated with the proposed programs.

Take the survey:

Additional Resources:

Contact

With questions or concerns contact the ATC at osse.atc@dc.gov or (202) 545-7300

Partnership Spotlight

DC CTE and the ATC are excited to partner with Trinity Washington University to offer dual credit enrollment at no cost to students and to strengthen the pipeline of local high school students who go on to have careers in the medical field in Washington, DC.

DC CTE and the ATC are excited to partner with the University of the District of Columbia to offer dual credit enrollment at no cost to students and to strengthen the pipeline of local high school students with future careers in cybersecurity in Washington, DC.

Programs Offered

The ATC helps students access CTE pathways that are aligned to high skill, high wage and/or high demand jobs in the DC area. Learn more about each program by clicking the photos below.

Cybersecurity

General Nursing

Student FAQ

Why should I sign up for the Advanced Technical Center (ATC)?

If you are interested in cybersecurity or general nursing, you can start your path to a high-wage and in-demand career at the ATC, even if programs in these fields are not offered at your home high school. You can earn high school and college course credit at Trinity Washington University for the classes taken at the ATC at no cost to you. Using industry tools and equipment, you will learn real-world skills from university faculty and guest speakers. Students who complete their program will also participate in an internship and earn an industry credential.

How do I get to the ATC?

Class will be held at Trinity Washington University during the 2022–2023 school year. The permanent location of the ATC will be in the renovated Penn Center at 1709 3rd St. NE. Students attending schools that are located more than 30 minutes away via public transportation from the ATC will qualify for transportation support for the school-based leg of their travels. For example, if a student from Jackson-Reed High School is participating in the afternoon session, then the ATC transportation will pick them up at school and bring them to Trinity each day. However, that student would be responsible for their own way home after class.

How does attending the ATC work with my high school schedule?

To maximize opportunity for enrolled students, ATC classes are offered 5 days a week with two sessions to choose from each day. The morning session runs from 8:25–9:45 am, taking the place of a student’s 1st period class at their home high school. The afternoon session runs from 2:40–4:00 pm, taking the place of a student’s last period of the day. The ATC follows the DCPS school year calendar with some minor exceptions. Check back here for a link to the calendar as soon as it’s available.

How do I sign up?

Students who are entering grades 9 through 11 are eligible to enroll. There is no application required. To learn more, fill out this interest form below. If you’re interested in enrolling, talk to your school counselor!

Learn More

Student Resources

Counselor & School FAQ

How does the ATC complement my school’s current CTE programming?

The ATC expands the CTE Program of Study options that your school can offer to students. All three pathways offer dual credit enrollment with no cost to the student and the potential to earn an industry certification. Students will learn in state-of-the-art facilities from university faculty and have access to paid internships. The ATC will open as many sections as needed based on enrollment interest. Please encourage all eligible students to apply.

More questions?

Please refer to these FAQ documents for detailed information about your school’s participation in the ATC.

How does the ATC schedule work with my school’s schedule?

To maximize opportunity for your students, ATC classes are offered 5 days a week with two sessions to choose from each day. The morning session runs from 8:25–9:50 am, taking the place of a student’s 1st period class at their home high school. The afternoon session runs from 2:40–4:00 pm, taking the place of a student’s last period of the day. Schools located more than 30 minutes away via public transportation from the ATC will qualify for transportation support for the school-based leg of their travels.

Contact

With questions or concerns contact the ATC Administrator, Andrea Zimmermann, at osse.atc@dc.gov or (202) 545-7300

Counselor & School Resources

Does your business or organization want to get involved with the ATC?

The ATC is seeking business and community partnerships in order to offer authentic guest speakers, workplace tours, internships, mentorships, and more. If you’re interested in working with the ATC, please contact us at osse.atc@dc.gov or (202) 545-7300.