La Crosse Engineering Academy Offers College Credit
High school students from several La Crosse schools train in hands-on engineering labs at Western Technical College during the school day.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Students from Central, Logan, Polytechnic and online high schools attend the La Crosse Engineering Academy at Western Technical College. The program is lab based and hands on, and students earn college credit and machine certification through it.
Why it matters
The academy gives high school students in La Crosse access to professional-grade engineering equipment and college credit without leaving the regular school day. Because Western Technical College provides the space and equipment at no cost to the school district, the program extends technical training to students across several local high schools.
The academy draws students from four high schools and runs as a no-cost partnership with Western Technical College. Enrollment totals and certification counts were not reported, and the program's graduate outcomes remain unknown.
The players
Western Technical College
Western Technical College is a public technical college in La Crosse, Wisconsin, that provides training programs in trades, technology and health fields.
The details
Students rotate through exercises that include turning knobs, pushing buttons and troubleshooting equipment, working with both traditional drafting tools and computer software. The curriculum is lab based and hands on, and students earn college credit and machine certification during the regular school day.
Timeline
Students attend the academy during the regular school day.
Roadmap
The academy operates as a dual-credit pathway that parallels Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship program, which places high school students into technical training tracks. It extends that model into engineering through a partnership between local high schools and a technical college.
Students at Central, Logan, Polytechnic and online high schools can take engineering coursework at Western Technical College during the school day. Families can use the program to earn college credit and machine certification at no cost to the district.
The takeaway
Students interested in hands-on engineering can ask their high school counselor whether dual-credit options at Western Technical College are available to them. Early exposure to lab-based machine work can help students weigh technical careers alongside traditional four-year paths.
Further reading
Explore more local coverage in Secondary Education for La Crosse.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News8000.
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