In August 2027, the Canyons Technical Education Center will move to the former regional headquarters of eBay. A symbol of the dot-com boom and digital age, this iconic glass-and-steel campus in Draper, Utah, is being reborn as the Canyons Innovation Center — a launchpad for future builders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs.
But for students, that future starts now.
This spring, CTEC launches two new programs: an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course and Medical Scholars Program designed to give high school students early access to the health care field, which is experiencing massive job growth.
“The Innovation Center is being designed to evolve as fast as the economy itself,” said the center’s Director Reid Newey. “These new programs show how flexible and nimble we’ll strive to be in aligning our learning with real workforce needs and the latest technologies.”
High school juniors and seniors can apply for these courses now.
“For students interested in the medical field, the Medical Scholars Program will be one of the most advanced learning opportunities to earn college credit and gain real clinical experience,” said Sydney Carlson who will join Fred Henderson in teaching the course.
The program is offered in partnership with Weber State University and Northern Utah AHEC, and is delivered as a combination of classroom instruction and five days of clinical observation at Lone Peak Hospital. Participants can earn 4.0 Weber State concurrent enrollment credits and gain such broadly applicable skills as: IV cannulation, suturing, and endotracheal intubation. What’s more, the $280 of the $300 in fees typically required is being covered through a grant.
In “Introduction to AI,” students will learn how AI works along with the ethical real-world implications of automation and machine learning. “This will give students foundational exposure to a technology that is reshaping how we work and get things done,” said CTEC’s computer technology instructor Vennie Della Cioppa.
All CTEC programs emphasize learning by doing. Students use industry-standard equipment and are exposed to scenarios they’ll find in the workplace. Course completers can earn industry certifications and college credit.
Families and students interested in learning about more CTEC course offerings and career pathways are invited to an Open House Thursday, Jan. 8, 4-7 p.m. at CTEC, 825 E. 9085 South in Sandy.
In addition to accepting applications for the Spring 2026 semester, fall registration opens January 9 at 7 a.m.
