The Houston County Career Academy is now accepting applications for the 2010-11 school year. Interested high school students may register for any HCCA program with their school counselor up to May 15 during school hours.

The career academy will open Aug. 5. Located at 1311 Corder Road in Warner Robins, the school is housed in the facility that was formerly the Houston County Career and Technology Center.

The goal of the academy, Houston County’s first charter school, is to provide students with job skills for employment prior to leaving high school and to provide employers with skilled workers. It is a joint effort with the Houston County Board of Education, Middle Georgia Technical College, Robins Air Force Base and the business community.

The following dual-enrollment program courses will be offered in partnership with Middle Georgia Technical College: welding, automotive, computer repair, cosmetology, criminal justice and aviation maintenance technology. In addition, students will have the option of the following programs: culinary arts, healthcare science technology, business and computer science, engineering and technology and teaching.

According to the school system, career academy benefits are an increased graduation rate, job placement rate, businesses’ involvement in workforce development, improved attendance and grades; helping ensure a smooth transition from high school to post-secondary education; and bolstering success in the workplace.

For example, in Sacramento City, Calif., where nearly all students learn in career academies, dropout rates fell from 24 percent to 14 percent and the number of students taking SATs doubled between 2001 and 2005. Another example is found in Philadelphia, home to 34 career academies, where the students who attend career academies achieve a 90 percent graduation rate and 60 percent of them go on to college.

For more information, students may contact their school counselor or the career academy at 478-322-3280.