Founded in 1954 by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and led by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, all-boys Father Judge High School (FJHS) has been a staple of Catholic education in Northeast Philadelphia. In 2018, the FJHS board embarked on a strategic plan to address the school's long-term sustainability. The review highlighted the need for additional opportunities to better support students. The FJHS team proposed the addition of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum to introduce unique learning and development opportunities. FJHS launched its CTE program in 2019 with a welding course, supported by a $200,000 grant from the Connelly Foundation for lab construction. As part of its continued CTE expansion, the school introduced an automotive technician program in collaboration with Faulkner Automotive, followed by an HVAC program in partnership with Elliot-Lewis Corp. To accommodate these programs, the school constructed a 20,000-square-foot Career Pathways Academy (CPA) on campus. The Connelly Foundation was honored to support this initiative with a $1 million grant and celebrated the Connelly Foundation Welding Lab 'chain-cutting' ceremony on October 3 alongside school leaders, industry partners, and current students. FJHS is a national leader in implementing this cutting-edge curriculum. The transformational CTE training, led by welding instructor Joe Williams, enables students to graduate with industry certifications and earn competitive wages immediately after high school.