About Island Coast's Career Academies
Island Coast is home to multiple Career and Technical Education academies including Natural Resources, Aerospace, Broadcast Communication, Marketing, Culinary Arts, and new for 2025-2026, The Academy of Robotics and Engineering! Students enrolled in the academies have opportunities to obtain valuable career skills and knowledge through authentic field experience. Furthermore, students may earn industry certifications in their field of study that promote their employability and broaden their post-secondary educational opportunities.
Academy of Natural Resources
Lee County’s first Academy of Natural Resources, located within Island Coast High School, is a career academy with a thematic focus on environmental studies and sustainability. The program is highlighted by an Aquaculture and Hydroponic laboratory program that integrates Marine Science, Agriscience, and general environmental issues.
Check out Mr. Mallon's presentation about our Aquaponics program at the Florida School Garden Leadershio Conference.
Academy of Culinary Arts
The Academy of Culinary Arts is a comprehensive four-year program where students learn advanced skills and participate in cooking labs, community events and competitions which are designed to prepare them for a career in the culinary industry.
Academy of Aerospace
The Academy of Aerospace offers an engineering track that focuses on teaching the fundamentals Aeronautical Science, Engineering, Computer Aided Design, Unmanned Vehicles, Space, Safety, Homeland Security, Meteorology, and Piloting.
Academy of Broadcast Communication
Broadcast Communications is designed to teach students valuable hands-on skills that are useful long after the year has ended. In addition to receiving a comprehensive overview of the TV Production/News business, students also learn how to create storyboards, record and edit video projects in a variety of styles, and write scripts for those projects. They learn critical life skills such as independent thinking, expressing creativity, and teamwork. The Gator News live production instructs students on meeting deadlines, problem-solving and time management.
Students who complete this program successfully will be able to do the following: demonstrate a strong ability to record and edit video using Adobe Premiere Pro and show an advanced level of skill in live video production techniques. Students also have the opportunity to earn industry certification in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Academy of Robotics & Engineering (Coming 2025-26)
The purpose of this program is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge and technically oriented experiences in the study of the principles and applications of robotics engineering and its effect upon our lives and the choosing of an occupation. The content and activities will also include the study of entrepreneurship, safety, and leadership skills. This program focuses on transferable skills and stresses understanding and demonstration of the science and mathematics knowledge, technological tools, machines, instruments, materials, processes and systems related to robotics.