Northwest ISD and Keller ISD students are starting the 2025-26 school year Aug. 13. High school students can capitalize of partnerships between the school districts and area businesses and companies that provide internship opportunities.

A closer look

For the past three school years, KISD and NISD have have been above the state average when it comes to students in career and technical education, or CTE.

In the 2023-24 school year, more than 80% of high school students took part in CTE at KISD, while nearly 76% did at NISD. The state average that year was 73.3%, according to data from Texas Education Agency.
According to NISD's website, the CTE programs focuses on classroom instruction, workplace instruction and credentialing certifications.

NISD starts offering CTE courses as early as sixth grade, according to the website. Course work continues throughout high school before an internships are needed to provide the capstone course for students. These courses are funneled into a student's specific career pathway through three components: classroom instruction, workplace instruction, and credentialing certifications.


KISD also offers a wide variety of paths for internship opportunities and partners with 30 different programs of study, such as engineering, business, health care and construction trades.

Diving deeper

NISD’s program has had success stories where internships have led to jobs. Isabel Espinosa attended Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club and was part of the interior design program. She had an internship at Lambert Homes in Southlake.

“I feel like I'm like so prepared for college and I feel as if I'm at a higher advantage than everyone else that is going into the same field for college,” Espinosa said in a NISD video. “I think the internship program extremely prepares you for your workforce.”


She attended Texas-Arlington and currently works for 13thirty Designs, an interior design studio based in Southlake.

What else?

NISD has more than 50 partnerships in the area, including:The KISD CTE program integrates academic knowledge with practical, hands-on skills, enabling students to explore their passions, gain valuable industry-specific experience, according to its website. Opportunities through CTE include:
  • Certifications and credentials
  • Career exploration
  • College credit opportunities
  • Professional networks
  • Internships and work-based learning
KISD partnerships and sponsors include Caterpillar, Kiewit Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Texas Orthopaedic Associates, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital-Alliance, Leak Geeks Plumbing, Baylor Scott and White-Grapevine, i9 Sports, The Keller Pointe and Christian Brothers Automotive.