Administration

Emerging opportunities in the workforce require young people to be skilled in confronting complex problems, working in diverse teams, and embracing the mindset of a lifelong leader. MNCAPS (Minnesota Center for Advanced Professional Studies) is a profession-based immersion program, offering an innovative approach for learning. Through participating in our Pathways, 11^th and 12^th graders have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits but also experiences lending to our vision to prepare innovative leaders for a global economy. Our program, which began in 2016, has built impactful relationships with companies and organizations who are willing to offer the opportunities necessary to preparing tomorrow’s workforce.

Our learning model integrates multiple stakeholders in the student learning experience. The coordination of contributions from teachers, mentors, project sponsors, guest instructors, and site visits allows students to interact with learning outcomes in an authentic manner. Industry partners provide guidance for relevant skills and experiences that allow our learning outcomes and standards to acquire authenticity. 

The byproduct of this experience provides ample opportunity for each student to enhance their emotional intelligence. Understanding who they are as individuals allows students to effectively navigate the collaborative nature of our program. Growth in self-confidence, communication, reliability, professionalism, critical thinking, problem solving, and leadership are likely to occur for students who fully immerse themselves in the MNCAPS experience. MNCAPS is offered to students from both Prior Lake High School and Farmington High School.