RIO RANCHO, N.M. – Rio Rancho Public Schools is making way for a new high school specifically for students interested in skilled trade jobs.

“A unique opportunity where not only are they coming as a 10th grader to a high school, which we will be, they will get their CNM Partnership as well as a high school diploma. I don’t believe there is anyone in the state doing something like this program,” said Kristopher Johnson, principal of the Career and Technical Education High School.

The target opening date is fall 2025. For the first time, KOB 4 is getting a look inside the building that used to be a call center.

“That side of the building will be the high school administration side. Offices for principal, CTE director,” said Johnson.

The school will have their high school offices and classrooms in the front part of the building.

“They are going to put a wall all the way up to the ceiling, it’s called a CAMU wall that is where the plumbing and welding wall will go,” Johnson said. 

The back will be full of labs for their eight different CTE certificate programs, ranging from automotive to HVAC and welding.

“College isn’t for everybody right now; it doesn’t mean that they can’t go to college because they are going to college, and getting those certificates. But it sets them up for a very good opportunity to earn money right out of high school in a field where we need HVAC people, we need plumbers, we need welders,” said Johnson said. 

Right now they have 32 students from Rio Rancho and Cleveland who take classes in the morning. Then, they can finish their day at CNM Rio Rancho. 

This new campus will allow them to do both in the same place. 

“They could start up their morning taking college classes for a couple of hours and then finish up their day with the high school classes. They could take a high school class, a couple of college classes and then a high school class,” said Johnson.

This is all possible in part because of bond money and funding from lawmakers. Back in September, they also asked the community for name suggestions.

Johnson told KOB 4 the district has narrowed it down to five potential names they are deciding from.