Aspire Trade High School

Name

Aspire Trade High School

Legal name

Aspire Trade High School

Website

https://aspiretradehs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career and Technical Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• Trade school programs
• Charter high school
• Vocational training
• Skilled trades education

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntersville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Public Funding: As a public charter school, Aspire receives local, state, and federal per-pupil funding that follows students to the school. This is the primary revenue source supporting school operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aspire Trade High School is a tuition-free public charter high school that delivers career and technical education across 11 trade pathways (Automotive Collision, Carpentry/Masonry, Culinary, Data Science, Digital Media Arts, Electrical, HVAC, Mechatronics, Medical Assisting, Plumbing, Welding/Fabrication/Robotics). Students earn the North Carolina Future-Ready Core Diploma alongside industry certifications and approximately 2,000 hours toward trade licensure, preparing them for direct workforce entry, apprenticeships, or continued education.

Product overview

Aspire Trade High School is a public charter high school offering a unified educational platform combining traditional academics (North Carolina Future-Ready Core Diploma) with intensive hands-on trade career training. The school provides 11 distinct trade programs including Automotive Collision, Carpentry/Masonry, Culinary Arts, Data Science, Digital Media Arts, Electrical, HVAC, Mechatronics, Medical Assisting, Plumbing, and Welding/Fabrication/Robotics. Students select one trade pathway to master over four years while completing core academic requirements. Programs feature industry partnerships (SteelFab, Precision Plumbing, Atrium Health, NuBlue) that sponsor labs, advise on curriculum, and provide apprenticeship opportunities. The school targets students in grades 9-12 who prefer hands-on, project-based learning over traditional classroom instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automotive Collision Trade Program Hands-on automotive collision repair training program teaching students vehicle damage assessment, painting, body work, and collision repair techniques using industry-standard equipment. Designed for grades 9-12 students seeking careers in the automotive repair industry.
• Carpentry/Masonry Trade Program Construction trade program covering residential and commercial carpentry skills, framing, finishing, and masonry techniques including brick and block work. Advised by Whitlock Builders for tile and masonry curriculum.
• Culinary Arts Trade Program Professional culinary training program teaching food preparation, cooking techniques, kitchen management, and hospitality skills for careers in the food service industry.
• Data Science Trade Program Technical program teaching data analysis, statistics, programming, and data visualization skills for careers in data science and analytics.
• Digital Media Arts Trade Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Students graduate with ~2,000 hours toward trade licensure (Level 3 Ready-To-Go-To-Work certification)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SteelFabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022SteelFab sponsors the welding lab and has created the SteelFab University internship program. Students in the welding program have opportunity to join the internship program to earn while they learn. SteelFab provides equipment and technology for the welding lab and will hire graduates upon completion of their apprenticeship.
• Samet Building CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Samet Building Corporation served as the construction team for the school building. They hosted the groundbreaking ceremony in June 2022 and constructed the state-of-the-art facility.
• Precision PlumbingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrecision Plumbing provides professional guidance on plumbing curriculum goals and branded merchandise for students. Along with Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, they generously donate lab materials for the plumbing program.
• Atrium HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtrium Health sponsors the medical assisting and medical coding labs at the school. They coach students on career alternatives beyond nursing and offer tuition reimbursement programs for graduates who pursue careers at the company.
• NuBlue (Electric, Plumbing and Air)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuBlue partnered with Aspire to launch the Electrical Trade program - a hands-on, career-focused course designed to prepare students for careers as electricians. The company provides industry expertise and training philosophy centered on the Next Up Mentality.
• The Halton SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Halton School is located on the same 23.5-acre property as Aspire Trade High School. It serves students with Asperger's and autism. Both schools are established by the Aspire Carolinas Foundation.
• Charlotte Pipe and FoundrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte Pipe and Foundry partners with Precision Plumbing to generously donate lab materials for the plumbing program.
• Whitlock BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScott Whitlock from Whitlock Builders serves as the tile and masonry lab partner, providing industry expertise and guidance for the carpentry/masonry program.
• Threadline Construction ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThreadline Construction Products provided lockers and PPE (personal protective equipment) for the welding program.
• Novant Health – Huntersville Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovant Health - Huntersville Medical Center received the 'Inspire our Future Award' from the Lake Norman Chamber for its efforts in career readiness supporting Aspire Trade High School.
• Lake Norman Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lake Norman Chamber supports career readiness through events like the Education PowerLuncheon and recognizes educators from Aspire Trade High School with annual awards.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Williamson College of the Trades: Tuition-free, three-year post-secondary trade school near Philadelphia offering programs in masonry, carpentry, welding, HVAC, electrical, and powerplant. Closely comparable to Aspire in its free tuition model, residential focus, and industry-driven trade training, though it serves older students on a single residential campus.
• NASCAR Technical Institute: Specialized automotive and mechanical trade school under the UTI umbrella offering manufacturer-specific training. Comparable to Aspire's automotive collision and welding programs in terms of industry-equipment labs and employer relationships, though focused narrowly on automotive/diesel trades.
• ECPI University: Career-focused university offering degree and diploma programs in technology, nursing, and skilled trades with year-round enrollment. Comparable to Aspire in its emphasis on accelerated, employer-aligned curricula and hands-on labs, but operates at post-secondary level across multiple campuses.
• Universal Technical Institute: For-profit post-secondary institution offering trade programs in automotive, diesel, welding, HVAC, and electrical with manufacturer-affiliated training. Directly comparable to Aspire's model in terms of trade curriculum breadth, employer-aligned certifications, and hands-on lab-based instruction, though it charges tuition and serves adult learners.
• Porter and Chester Institute: Career-training school in the Northeast offering HVAC, electrical, plumbing, welding, automotive, and healthcare programs. Directly comparable to Aspire in trade program mix and credential-driven training, though operates as a tuition-based post-secondary institution.
• New Castle School of Trades: Pennsylvania-based trade school offering programs in welding, HVAC, electrical, carpentry, masonry, and automotive technology with employer-aligned certifications. Closely aligned with Aspire's hands-on trade curriculum and apprenticeship-ready graduate outcomes, though serves adult learners on a tuition basis.
• Lincoln Educational Services (Lincoln Tech): National for-profit career college system training students in automotive, HVAC, welding, electrical, culinary, and healthcare fields. Mirrors Aspire's trade program mix and the industry-certification-driven value proposition, though at post-secondary level and with tuition-based revenue.

Regional players

• Central Piedmont Community College: Public community college serving the Charlotte metro with continuing education and credit programs in welding, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, culinary, and healthcare. Comparable as the primary regional alternative to Aspire's free trade training for adult learners; potential partner or competitor for tuition-paying adult students in the same market.
• Catawba Valley Community College: North Carolina community college located in Hickory offering associate degrees and certificates in skilled trades, manufacturing, and healthcare. Comparable to Aspire as a regional provider of credentialed trade training; competes for adult continuing-education students in the western Charlotte-metro catchment area.

Others

• Aspire Carolinas Foundation: Nonprofit parent organization that founded and operates Aspire Trade High School (and The Halton School) and provides governance, fundraising, and capital support. Adjacent rather than competitive; the foundation's capacity and board relationships directly shape Aspire's funding runway and expansion strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61550701418242
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aspire-trade-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aspire Trade High School