Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) recently completed the first phase of the Metro Tech High School campus renovation, reopening operations for its floral, credit union, daycare, cosmetology and culinary services to the public with newly upgraded learning and public-facing business operations spaces. Additionally, the first phase includes new advanced, state-of-the-art learning places and highly collaborative training rooms for the school’s nursing assistant program, pharmacy and sports medicine programs. The newly completed areas will provide students with hands-on learning that prepares them for career paths in these industries.
“We are extremely excited for the future of Metro Tech High School,” said PXU Superintendent Thea Andrade. “With the overwhelming public support we received in passing our Bond, we can’t wait to offer the next generation of Phoenix Union’s students the best educational experience possible.”
Phase I of the campus renovation project, which began in Spring 2025, includes the modernization of 77,000-square-feet of CTE program and traditional classrooms, as well as construction of a reimagined school entrance and lobby, administrative spaces, and room for future program expansion.
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As one of Arizona’s largest High-value Workforce and Higher Degree (HWHD) aligned CTE program schools, Metro Tech expects to serve over 2,000 high school students in its 19 CTE programs during the 2026-27 academic year. In addition to the renovated program spaces, Metro Tech also offers CTE programs in automotive, business management/operations, computer maintenance, construction, electrical wiring, engineering, marketing, software development and welding.
Nationally, Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs have grown by over 34% in recent years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s most recent data (2021-2024). The Arizona Department of Education reports that participation in CTE programs in the state increased by more than 21% from FY2021 to FY 2025. The growing interest in CTE and dated facilities across the campus spurred the campus renovation at Metro Tech, which serves students from 25+ elementary school districts and charter schools in the greater urban Phoenix area annually.
Located at the northwest corner of Thomas Road and 19th Avenue, Metro Tech High School has been serving the community since the mid-1940’s, when it was established as West High School. In 1985 the school became Metro Tech Vocational High School, and was later shortened to Metro Tech High School, a dynamic and inclusive CTE and college prep high school with the goal of preparing students for success in college, career, and life.
Metro Tech High School Principal Shawna Wright said, “This renovation shifts what’s possible for our students in real, tangible ways. We’re building collaborative spaces that will give students the skills they need to exceed in jobs we have not even imagined yet.”
Phase 2 of the project, which is currently underway, includes the construction of a new 22,500-square-foot competition gymnasium and new sports fields. The flow of the campus is also being redesigned to emphasize functionality and the student experience. It includes installing new crosswalks and paved pathways for a more accessible and unified campus feel. Phase 2 is scheduled to complete ahead of the 2027-2028 school year. The comprehensive, multi-phased project is designed by DLR Group and built by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (McCarthy).
Additional campus renovation features include:
- Additional parking to the East and South of campus
- Additional bus stalls for more efficient student transportation
- New white box theater space for performances and community events
- New baseball, soccer, and softball fields on the north and south ends of campus
- New cooling towers to upgrade the central utility plant
- A complete upgrade to the underground mechanical piping system
“Watching Metro Tech’s campus transform has been incredibly rewarding for our construction team, as well as for the school’s faculty and staff,” said McCarthy project director Andy Fillion. “Working on an active school campus brings challenges and requires rigorous safety protocols to protect students, faculty and staff. But seeing their reactions and hearing their excitement as the campus takes shape has made the work especially meaningful for all of us. And, having students from the school’s construction trade programs take part is an added bonus. The pride they bring to the project is exactly what we hope to see in the next generation of construction professionals.”
Throughout each phase of construction, Metro Tech students are being provided with opportunities to learn as their campus transforms around them. McCarthy has involved students from Metro Tech’s construction and electrical programs in the project and currently has one student intern on the project. McCarthy also coordinates with other schools in the district through the ACE Mentorship Program by hosting tours and first-hand educational experiences that align directly with career pathways in architecture, construction, and engineering.
The Metro Tech High School campus renovation is being paid for through Bond funds that were voter approved in 2023.
