Modernized career and technical education facilities can give students practical training environments while helping school districts align education with workforce needs. Metro Tech High School in Phoenix has completed the first phase of a campus renovation that upgrades instructional spaces and public-facing student-operated services, with additional athletic and campus improvements underway.
The first phase, which began in spring 2025, updated 77,000 square feet of career and technical education facilities and traditional classrooms. The work also included a redesigned main entrance and lobby, administrative areas and space for future programme expansion.
Renovated facilities support the school’s floral, credit union, child care, cosmetology and culinary operations, which serve members of the public while providing students with practical experience. Additional upgraded spaces support nursing assistant, pharmacy and sports medicine programmes.
Metro Tech High School, part of the Phoenix Union High School District, expects to serve more than 2,000 students across 19 career and technical education programmes during the 2026-27 academic year. The school also offers instruction in construction, electrical wiring, automotive technology, engineering, welding, business and software development.
The second phase includes construction of a 22,500-square-foot competition gymnasium, new sports fields and improvements to campus circulation. Planned work includes additional crosswalks and paved pathways to improve accessibility and movement around the school.
Other project components include additional parking and bus stalls, a white-box theater for performances and community events, baseball, soccer and softball fields, replacement cooling towers and upgrades to underground mechanical piping.
DLR Group designed the renovation, and McCarthy Building Companies is responsible for construction. The project is funded through a bond approved by voters in 2023.
The renovation is being carried out on an active school campus, requiring safety measures to protect students, faculty and staff during construction. McCarthy has also involved students enrolled in Metro Tech’s construction and electrical programmes, including through project participation and an internship.
The contractor additionally works with other district schools through the ACE Mentorship Program, providing tours and practical exposure to architecture, construction and engineering careers.
The project combines educational facility upgrades with workforce development objectives. For school districts and public-sector owners, the phased approach allows existing campus operations and instructional programmes to continue while construction progresses.
The integration of hands-on training environments and student participation also connects capital investment with career preparation. Completion of the second phase before the 2027-28 school year will add athletic facilities and further campus improvements to the modernized learning spaces.
Source: McCarthy.
