Bloomington Area Career Center: Top Career Training in IL (2026 List)

About Bloomington Area Career Center

Bloomington Area Career Center, located at 1202 E. Locust St., Bloomington, IL 61701, serves high school students from 10 to 12 through a public career and technical education center connected to Bloomington School District 87 and surrounding regional districts. The center provides workforce-focused instruction that complements coursework completed at students’ home high schools. Students participate in hands-on programs tied to healthcare, automotive technology, criminal justice, construction, culinary arts, agriculture, and information technology. Because the center operates as a shared technical campus rather than a traditional standalone high school, statewide proficiency and demographic comparisons are limited. Industry certifications, practical training, and career exploration remain central parts of the educational experience. Internship opportunities and partnerships with local employers also contribute heavily to student learning. The center prepares students for skilled trades, workforce entry, military service and postsecondary technical education through applied coursework and career-centered programs. Eastern Bloomington is surrounded by established neighborhoods, apartment communities and mid-century homes with prices typically ranging from the mid-$100,000s to more than $350,000. Among top high schools in Illinois offering career and technical education pathways, Bloomington Area Career Center serves as a major regional workforce-training program.

Academic Performance

Subject Proficiency

Mathematics 0%

Reading 0%

State average proficiency is 0% in Math and 0% in Reading.

13

Full-time Teachers

0

Total Students

$66456

Avg. Teacher Salary

Minority Enrollment

25%

Percentage of minority students

Bloomington Area Career Center Contact Information

Address

2309 E Oakland Ave, Bloomington, IL 61701

View on Map

Phone

(309) 829-8671

Call Now

Website

http://www.gavc.il.org

Recent News & Updates

New Playground Name

We are so excited to announce the name of our new playground! Following a school-wide and Robinson community vote we narrowed a large list of names down to four. Since our students will be using the playground on a daily basis, we gave them the final vote! 476.....

School Timings

Regular School Hours

All Grades: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Early Dismissal Days

Dismissal Time: 12:15 PM

Note: Doors open at 7:15 AM for student arrival. Please refer to the school calendar for specific early dismissal dates.

After School Activities

Information coming soon

School Session Dates

September to June

School session starts in September 1st week and ends in June 3rd week. For exact dates, please contact the school.

Remarkable Alumni

Being Updated

Map

Latest News

The Bloomington Area Career Center recently highlighted its many vocational pathways, such as Automotive Services, Welding and Building Trades, at its annual career expo. The event showcased the center’s commitment to hands-on learning, and partnerships with local employers to prepare students from 17 area high schools to enter the skilled trades and workforce. The center continues to provide hands-on training and industry certifications to help students move on to technical careers or postsecondary education.

FAQ

Q1. What is the purpose of Bloomington Area Career Center?

Ans. Bloomington Area Career Center provides career and technical education pathways for high school students from participating school districts.

Q2. What career programs are available at Bloomington Area Career Center?

Ans. Students may explore healthcare, criminal justice, automotive technology, culinary arts, welding, early childhood education and skilled trades pathways.

Q3. Does Bloomington Area Career Center focus on workforce preparation?

Ans. Coursework emphasizes practical job training, technical skill development and career readiness experiences.

Q4. Are hands-on learning opportunities important at Bloomington Area Career Center?

Ans. Lab-based instruction and applied technical projects are major parts of many vocational programs at the center.

Q5. Who typically participates in Bloomington Area Career Center programs?

Ans. High school students interested in career-focused learning or vocational certification pathways often attend through partner districts.

Games & Extracurricular Activities

Sports

Soccer Club Grades 1-3 | Mon/Wed 3:30-4:30pm
Basketball Grades 2-4 | Tue/Thu 3:30-4:45pm
Track & Field Grades 3-5 | Fri 3:30-5:00pm

Arts

Art Club Grades K-2 | Mon 3:00-4:00pm
Drama Club Grades 3-5 | Wed 3:30-5:00pm
Choir Grades 2-5 | Thu 3:15-4:15pm

Clubs

Chess Club Grades 2-5 | Fri 3:15-4:15pm
Garden Club All Grades | Tue 3:15-4:00pm
Robotics Club Grades 3-5 | Thu 3:30-5:00pm

Note: Schedules may change during school holidays. Please contact School for exact Schedule.

Summer Suggested Reading

Horn Book Selections

Vocabulary.com +3 Horn Book +3 What to Read to Your Kids +3

ML

Maggie Lou, Firefox

by Arnolda Dufour Bowes

PS

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

MLV

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

by Nicholas Day

Vocabulary.com Top Picks

Penguin Random House +10 Vocabulary.com +10 Wikipedia +10

F

Frindle

by Andrew Clements

WR

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

JGP

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl

Penguin Random House Features

Horn Book +2 Penguin Random House +2 The Guardian +2

SLB

The Secret Language of Birds

by Lynne Kelly

S

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Free Robotics and Stem In-person Workshop in Your Neighbourhood for 7-14 Years Tech Enthusiasts.

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What Parents Say