Our Student Program
Students who participate in the program must be a junior or senior for the school year and attend one of the participating districts: Excelsior Springs, Kearney, Lathrop, Lawson, Liberty, North Kansas City, North Platte, Park Hill, Platte County or Smithville. Private school and home school students living within participating districts are also eligible.
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The Northland CAPS Experience
Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies (NCAPS) immerses high school students in professional environments through engaging curriculum that is driven by passionate industry leaders and delivered by visionary instructors.
Northland CAPS does not operate out of a school, instead, our regular classroom sites are fully immersed at numerous business partner sites. Our student intern associates leave with a deeper understanding of the scope and nature of the corporate world, how to dress and behave in a professional work environment, and the technical skills needed to be successful - all through regular interaction with mentors from the professional world.
If you are a prospective student and want to learn more before applying, talk to your high school counselor as a first step. Northland CAPS shadowing visits are set up directly by counselors. Please note that we currently only host shadow visits on Wednesdays during the fall and a limited number of Mondays during the early weeks of the spring semester. Do you have a different question for us about the NCAPS experience? Contact Us
Student associates in our program have the opportunity to choose from several different strands of study. These strands have been identified by local stakeholders as the most in-demand, high-skill careers available in our region.
Students collaborate with mentors and business clients to deliver real products to their clients, as well as create a professional portfolio that illustrates your creative talent. Explore the Digital Media & Design strand
Experience hands-on, active learning with immersion in real-world projects sponsored by business partners, structured around engineering processes. Explore the Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing strand
Partner with local, regional, national, and international businesses to produce marketing plans, advertising and promotional plans, customer research, social media plans, event management, and strategic plans. Explore the Global Business & Logistics strand
Unprecedented access to real world experiences in medicine and healthcare through immersion in North Kansas City Hospital and Liberty Hospital. Explore the Medicine & Healthcare strand
Ideal for students who are interested in developing the professional and technical skills required to forge forward in exploring all areas of technology. Explore the Technology Solutions strand
For second year associates that want to develop leadership skills and continue internships.
Answers to Common Questions
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Our student associates attend class inside local business partner sites for 2.5 hours per day, five days per week, and we are setup to mimic the work environment. Rather than having every minute of their day scheduled out and dictated, student associates schedule their own tasks and meetings, and they must figure out how to learn important information and skills as needed to tackle projects and prepare for internships.
During the fall semester, we focus primarily on…
• developing professional skills, such as how to successfully network with industry professionals or how to nail an interview.
• self-discovery and career exploration, from job shadowing industry professionals at their site to completing actual projects for local businesses.
• learning technical skills specific to a career of interest (e.g., CAD modeling software or how to read vital signs in a medical setting).
• connecting to local businesses and business leaders to develop relationships that can lead to future employment opportunities.During the spring semester, student associates complete an approximately 150-hour internship in a career field of interest with one of numerous business partners.
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Northland CAPS is geared towards developing professional skills and career exploration, and we do this by immersing students into the business setting on a regular basis. Students interested in focusing on learning a skilled trade should instead apply to one of the region’s career centers.
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Student associates earn high school credit for successfully completing Northland CAPS; the amount and type of credit is determined by the sending high school. Please ask your school counselor for details.
Student associates also have the option to earn dual credit through one of our post-secondary education partners. The amount and type of credit depends on the strand in which the associate is enrolled.
Please call the Northland CAPS office (816) 977-8111 for details.
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Northland CAPS courses run from either 7:30-10:00 AM or 12:00-2:30 PM. The typical student associate will spend half of their school day with us and the other half of their day taking classes at their high school. Student associates are asked for their time preference (morning or afternoon) on the NCAPS application, and we work with high school counselors to ensure that the program fits into their school schedule.
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We offer courses – called strands - that align with the most in-demand career fields in the Kansas City area.
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Our participating school districts pay for their students’ tuition costs, which means Northland CAPS is free for students and their families. However, you must live within the public-school boundaries of one of our participating districts to join:
• Excelsior Springs
• Kearney
• Lathrop
• Lawson
• Liberty
• North Kansas City
• North Platte
• Park Hill
• Platte County
• Smithville -
Northland CAPS student associates must provide their own transportation, though many student associates will carpool or get rides with family members. Please speak with your school counselor if you want to participate in Northland CAPS, but transportation is going to be a barrier.
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Northland CAPS is hosted in several business partner sites throughout Clay and Platte Counties; we do not have a “building” like a typical school does. One benefit of this approach is that our student associates are constantly surrounded by industry professionals. Please see the Strands section of this ebsite for more information on strands and their respective locations.
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Since its beginning in 2013, Northland CAPS has quickly become recognized as a wildly successful career preparatory program. Our student associates consistently earn college scholarships and entry into premiere college programs thanks to polished resumes, impressive portfolios, and fantastic interviewing skills developed while they were with us.
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We abide to a business casual dress code for all student associates during the fall semester.
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