Alabama high school students now have a second option for earning a diploma.
Instead of following the traditional route packed with Algebra II and chemistry, they can choose to build a schedule around hands-on courses—like carpentry, culinary arts, welding, or cosmetology.
It’s part of a new diploma track called Option B, focused on workforce readiness.
Students will still need four years of English and social studies, but two years of math and science can be swapped for a trio of career and technical education (CTE) courses.
Each sequence must stay in the same career cluster, but beyond that, students get room to explore.
Shifting Focus Toward Real-World Skills
Across schools, more students are choosing courses that give them skills they can use immediately.
In one classroom at Huffman High School, students are building a tiny home.
In another, future stylists practice braiding techniques. By graduation, they’ll walk away with more than a diploma—they’ll have industry experience, licenses, and certifications that can lead straight into a job.
More than 70% of Alabama students already take at least one CTE course. This new diploma gives those students the option to lean into their interests and spend more time doing what they enjoy.
Colleges Have Their Own Requirements
There’s a tradeoff. The workforce diploma might limit options for students who later decide to apply to a four-year college, especially those with stricter admissions criteria.
Universities like the University of Alabama still expect at least three years of math.
Students who go this route and change their minds can still attend community colleges or look at schools with more flexible admissions.
The challenge is making sure students and families know how each decision might impact future plans.
Counselors Carry the Weight
With a change this big, the role of school counselors becomes more critical.
They’re tasked with helping students align diploma choices with future goals.
Want to become a nurse? You’ll need anatomy and chemistry. Want to go into HVAC or culinary arts? A workforce diploma could be a perfect fit.
But Alabama has just one counselor for every 405 students. To help, the state is relying more on career coaches.
Still, many schools have only one coach who rotates between campuses, which adds pressure in a system already stretched thin.
Industry Backs the Shift
Business leaders across the state pushed for this change.
In places like Mobile, where manufacturing and skilled trades are booming, thousands of open jobs don’t require a four-year degree.
Just solid training, certifications, and a strong work ethic.
Leaders in economic development say students need more exposure to careers that match what’s available in the state.
While more than 33,000 CTE credentials were awarded in Alabama last year, only a tiny fraction were in manufacturing—despite the demand.
The workforce diploma is one step toward closing that gap. It gives students space to explore career pathways that are aligned with local jobs and higher wages.
And as more schools blend academics with technical education, the line between the two is starting to fade.
For students who want to get to work—and for industries that need skilled workers—it’s a sign of change that’s already reshaping what a high school diploma can look like.
If you’d like to check out other news stories, hop over to our news corner.
