Our Program

Innovative Learning. Real-World Experience. Future-Ready Students.

Northland Center for Advanced Professional Studies (Northland CAPS) is the premier provider of professional, hands-on learning for high school juniors and seniors in Kansas City’s Northland. We connect students from participating districts with high-demand, high-skill career paths through full-immersion experiences in business environments across Clay and Platte counties.

Fall Semester: Real Projects, Real Skills

Students begin the year as associates, working on real-world, client-driven projects for local business partners. Alongside industry mentors, they gain technical skills and develop essential professional competencies like:

  • Project Management

  • Creative & Critical Thinking

  • Time Management & Teamwork

  • Business Ethics & Communication

Spring Semester: Internships That Matter

In the spring, qualified students are placed in semester-long internships that align with their career interests—ranging from hospitals to media outlets, architecture firms to animal clinics. Students spend most of their time on-site with business partners, returning to Northland CAPS weekly to reflect, report, and grow.

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Northland CAPS Goals/Strategic Focus Areas

  • Provide a relevant experience that supports college and career readiness for students

  • Be an economic development driver for engagement in the Kansas City and Northland region

  • Be a leader in fundamental change for traditional teaching and learning

  • Proactively and responsibly balance expansion of Northland CAPS through strand offerings and affordability for school districts