Education Partnerships

We work with the high school to build and strengthen Career & Technical Education pathways, investing in teacher development, facilities, equipment and supplies across six program areas.

Overview

Build Pagosa's mission is to build a skilled workforce for the Pagosa Springs community through public-private partnerships, financial support, and workforce training. One of our most direct methods for achieving that mission is strengthening Career & Technical Education (CTE) at Pagosa Springs High School, ensuring students graduate with marketable, industry-recognized skills before they enter the workforce.

Our CTE pathways

Through partnerships with Archuleta School District, Pueblo Community College, Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation, and industry partners, we provide the skills, credentials, and connections people need to launch and advance careers in our region's fastest-growing industries.

Agriculture & resources

Land, livestock and natural-resource management for a county where ranching and forestry remain year-round employers.

Building trades

Framing, finishing and code literacy taught alongside working contractors, the pathway most closely tied to the region's housing shortage.

Computer science

Programming, networking and IT support skills that travel, and that increasingly keep remote and hybrid work possible from Pagosa Springs.

Health sciences

Patient care fundamentals and clinical exposure that open the door to nursing, dental and allied health careers close to home.

Hospitality & culinary

Commercial kitchen and front-of-house training that feeds directly into the restaurants, hotels and lodges carrying the region's visitor economy.

Transportation & automotive

Diagnostics, repair and undercarriage work on shop-grade equipment, including the vehicle lift Build Pagosa funded in 2025.

The curriculum

Our support focuses on the gap between what schools can fund and what can help students most: credentialed instructors, improved facilities, and needed equipment.

On the credentialing side, we help teachers pursue industry-recognized accreditations, such as NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research), that allow them to move beyond teaching skills and formally certify their students. Students who are certified enter the job market with documented, third-party-validated competency, opening doors to higher starting wages and faster career advancement. On the equipment side, we work directly with teachers to identify the tools and technology their programs need to deliver real-world training.

Most recently, Build Pagosa purchased a $15,000 vehicle lift for the Automotive program, which enabled the auto teacher to offer undercarriage training, a critical education component which he had been forced to omit.

After receiving the lift, the auto teacher shared, “I am very grateful and thankful for the generous donation! The lift is now up and working, and I just cannot thank BP enough for helping me solve a 5-year problem. BP's passion and dedication to helping programs like mine are so important, not only to me but to my amazing students too. My program can now get back to providing a full automotive educational experience, including undercar training. You guys are Rockstars! Thank you, Thank you!!”

Register your interest

Tell us which pathway you care about and we will get in touch when the next intake, equipment drive or teacher training opens up.

2027 Enrollment

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can take part in a CTE pathway?

Any student enrolled at Pagosa Springs High School. Pathways are chosen during course selection, and you can take more than one.

Does it cost anything?

No. Build Pagosa works with Archuleta School District to make sure classes have the supplies they need while staying free to students.

Which pathways can I choose from?

Six: hospitality and culinary, building trades, agriculture and resources, computer science, transportation and automotive, and health sciences. Each one is taught at Pagosa Springs High School, and you can take more than one.

Do students leave with a qualification?

They can. Build Pagosa helps teachers earn industry-recognized accreditations such as NCCER, which lets them formally certify their students rather than only teach the skills. A certified student enters the job market with documented, third-party-validated competency, which opens the door to higher starting wages and faster advancement.

Help us build a better future

Your support goes toward training space, equipment and credentials for people who want to build a career without leaving the region.

Donate now How we are funded

Join the Build Pagosa community

Build Pagosa runs on people showing up, employers offering placements, tradespeople teaching a session, neighbors giving what they can. Here are the easiest ways in.