Albuquerque, New Mexico

Your future
starts here.

Pathways Early Career Academy redefines high school as a launchpad — where students earn college credit, gain industry credentials, and build real careers before graduation day.

Apply for 2026–27 Explore Pathways

Career Pathways launching 2026–27

NM Career Clusters framework

70%

of jobs require post-secondary ed by 2027

CNM

Dual-credit college partner

Who We Are

Mission & Vision

Pathways Early Career Academy is a New Mexico public charter school formerly known as The GREAT Academy. Beginning 2026–27, we're transforming how students experience high school.

Mission

Pathways Early Career Academy will ignite the potential of every student by redefining high school as a launchpad for their future. Through immersive, career-connected learning, accelerated college opportunities, and real-world problem solving, students don't just prepare for their future — they actively start building it.

Vision

We will disrupt traditional education by creating a dynamic ecosystem where students earn college credit, gain industry credentials, and engage in meaningful professional experiences before graduation. We envision graduates who are not only ready for the future but already shaping it: innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders equipped to thrive in an ever-evolving global economy.

2026–27 Launch

Career Pathways

Four focused pathways, each with a multi-year course sequence, embedded dual credit, work-based learning, and a real-world capstone — all aligned to New Mexico's high-demand career clusters.

Two students writing code together at dual monitors in the IT pathway lab

Information Technology

Build the technical foundation for the AI-powered economy. From programming and cybersecurity to machine learning fundamentals, students emerge ready for the field — or for a CS degree.

AI & Machine Learning Programming Cybersecurity

Multi-year CS course sequence
Dual credit with CNM
Industry certifications
Tech internship capstone

Student presenting a business plan with financial charts to classmates

Business & Entrepreneurship

From startup thinking to AI-driven marketing and data analysis, students learn how modern businesses operate — and launch ventures of their own.

Entrepreneurship Marketing Data Analysis

Business plan development
Dual credit economics & finance
Local business mentorships
Pitch competition capstone

Student in a lab coat reviewing health data on a tablet in a simulation lab

Health Sciences

Explore the intersection of medicine, technology, and human care. From diagnostics to health informatics, students prepare for New Mexico's fastest-growing employment sector.

Health Informatics Diagnostics Patient Care

Anatomy & physiology sequence
CNM dual credit in allied health
Clinical observation experiences
Healthcare capstone project

Student in safety glasses and gloves working on technical equipment in a workshop

Skilled Trades & Applied Tech

Hands-on, high-wage careers that AI won't replace. Aligned to regional workforce needs, this pathway connects students directly to New Mexico's construction, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Construction Energy Infrastructure

Industry-recognized credentials
Apprenticeship connections
Dual credit with CNM
Workforce project capstone

Why It Matters Now

Built for the World AI Is Creating

The job market isn't being replaced — it's being rewritten. Routine work is automating. Higher-level thinking, creativity, and human-centered skills are surging in value. We prepare students for that world.

300M

Jobs globally exposed to AI automation over the next decade (Goldman Sachs Research)

25%

of all U.S. work hours could be impacted by AI — requiring new skill sets in every industry

70%

of jobs will require postsecondary education by 2027 (Jobs for the Future)

Skills we build in every pathway

Critical Thinking

Core

AI Literacy

Core

Problem Solving

Core

Digital Literacy

Core

Adaptability

Core

Creativity

Core

"The biggest shift is from routine tasks to higher-level thinking, creativity, and human-centered work. Students who understand how to work with AI — not against it — will lead the next economy."

— Pathways Early Career Academy, 2026 Mission Rationale

College Partner

Real College Credit, Starting Now

Dual Credit Through CNM

Our partnership with Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) is woven into every pathway — not bolted on as an afterthought. Students take college courses that directly advance their career goals, earning credits that transfer and credentials that employers recognize.

Pathway-Aligned Dual Credit Every dual credit course connects directly to your chosen career pathway — no disconnected electives.

Industry Credentials Graduate with certifications that employers in New Mexico's high-growth sectors actively seek.

Smooth Post-Secondary Transition Structured transitions improve graduation rates, college completion, and long-term economic outcomes — by design.

Central New Mexico Community College

New Mexico's largest community college — our anchor dual-credit partner for every pathway sequence.

College credits earned before graduation

Transferable to 4-year universities

Tuition-free for eligible students

Credential attainment tracked per pathway

Post-secondary placement support

Get Started

Enroll & Inquire

Ready to start your pathway? Reach out with questions or submit an enrollment inquiry for the 2026–27 school year.

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Your future
starts here.

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Mission & Vision