Frequently Asked Questions

We accept applications from students on a rolling basis throughout the year. Students interested in a fall start will need to be an incoming junior or senior to be eligible. We also accept applications from juniors interested in applying for our spring semester beginning in January. We guarantee all applicants an interview and an admittance decision mailed within two weeks of the interview. Accepted students will be given information on attending a required registration prior to starting in our classrooms.

Students attend class in a GPS Ed center located within one of our business partners. Some students may remain there for the work experience part of their day, while others will commute to another business. Students do not attend classes at their home high schools.

Yes. Students remain enrolled at their home high school and have the same privileges as other students there. GPS Ed works with students and employers to try to accommodate school activities when possible. Your student’s home high school will administer ACT testing.

A typical day includes two to three hours in the classroom and five to six hours in the workplace. A sample new student schedule could look as follows:

Classroom: 7 a.m.–10 a.m.
Break: 10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Work: 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Dismissal: 3:30 p.m

Yes. The program includes paid work experience, and students have the opportunity to earn up to $20,000 or more.

Students generally follow the calendar of the business where they work and have most major holidays off. GPS Ed also sets a program calendar, and there may be times when the Education Center is closed, but students may still be expected to work.

Transportation to the classroom and workplace is generally the responsibility of the student and family, though GPS Ed considers logistics when making placements.

Each student will participate in up to three job rotations. The first is an exposure rotation where students experience a variety of career paths within manufacturing. The second is an experience rotation with the opportunity to dive deeper into an area of interest or skill set. The final is a credentialed rotation in which students may have the opportunity to earn technical college credits and/or industry credentials.

Upon completion, students may receive a high school diploma from their home high school along with a certificate of occupational proficiency in manufacturing from Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development. In addition, students have the opportunity to become certified production technicians through the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council. Students will also have on-the-job training and work experience highlighted in a professional portfolio.

Absolutely! You will stay fully enrolled in your home high school and continue to receive all of your special education services through them. GPS Ed works closely with your high school to make sure you get the personalized instruction and accommodations you need right in the classroom.

Yes. When you apply, the GPS Ed team will review your transcripts. If you are missing credits in certain areas, there might be a few extra classes you'll need to take to meet state graduation requirements. We will map this all out with you during your interview and your first few months in the program so there are no surprises.

Almost everything you do here is covered by school and business partners, grants, and donors. There is just a small $200 fee for your family to cover things you’ll keep, like your uniforms, work gear, and field trips. You and your family will just need to make sure you have a way to get to class and work every day.

You are earning a real high school diploma from your home high school. On top of that, you will walk away with an official certificate of occupational proficiency in manufacturing from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and you'll have the chance to get certified as a production technician. You will also build a professional portfolio showing off your actual work experience, and yes—you can absolutely walk across the stage at your high school graduation!

Instead of a normal high school building, your classroom is uniquely embedded directly inside a real manufacturing facility. It looks and feels like the real world, not a traditional school setting. You won't take classes at your high school anymore; you'll report straight to your GPS Ed Education Center instead.

You’ll still take your core subjects—English, Math, Science, and Social Studies—but the material is designed around actual skills you will use after high school. You will also take useful electives like Financial Literacy and Lifetime Fitness, alongside technical classes like Blueprint Reading.

GPS Ed uses a mastery-based approach. Instead of failing an assignment and moving on, you’ll be asked to edit and revise your work until it reflects your absolute best effort. Your work is scored on a complete/in-progress scale, and you get your course credits as soon as you master the material.

Yes, 100%. Because you stay enrolled at your home high school, you keep all the privileges of any other student there. We want you to enjoy high school, so our staff will do our best to work with you and your employer to accommodate your sports, clubs, and school activities.

Most students work in hands-on technical jobs within the manufacturing, automotive, or construction industries. During your first few weeks, our staff will help you explore the open positions at our local business partners and help you ace your interviews to land the right spot.

It depends on your grade:

• • Juniors: You'll spend 3 hours in the classroom in the morning and 4–5 hours working at your job site in the afternoon.
  • Seniors: You'll work 4–5 hours in the morning and head to the classroom for 3 hours in the afternoon.

Yes! You are treated as an actual part of the workforce and will earn a competitive wage starting at a minimum of $15/hr (many earn more), averaging 20–25 hours of work experience a week. Many students appreciate that the quicker they finish their academic work, the more paid work experience they can earn.