About Us

Matt Wells, Director

Victor Torres, Curriculum Specialist

Belen Colon, Community / Industry Outreach Specialist

Carmen Rose, Program Technician

Andy Page, Data & Project Analyst


Aligning K12 Educational Content with Business and Industry in the High Desert since 2015

A collaborative of nine school districts, MDCP collaboratively coordinates with industry, government, and higher education to build better opportunities for the future of the region’s students.  These opportunities will be accomplished through the fostering of educated, informed individuals with in-demand skills and knowledge, who will be an asset to regional business and industry as a strong and desirable workforce.

Click here for a spreadsheet of the pathways by district.

Our programs across the region

Areas of Practice


Industry Partnerships

We rely upon industry partners to help us stay informed of the knowledge and skills needed by the employees you need for your business to excel.   


business networking

Because we have CTE programs in all 15 industry sectors as defined by the California Department of Education, we have business partnerships in all sectors.  We endeavor to be a resource for our partners and connect business with one another as we collectively problem solve.


Student competitions

From grass-root local culinary and construction competitions to state and national competitions through Career Technical Student Organizations, we strive to provide opportunities for our students to put their skills to the test and get feedback and guidance from industry judges.


career internships & Externships

For our business partners, internships are the long-interview, the try-before-you-buy model of engaging with potential future employees.  Additionally, research shows a worthwhile return on investment for businesses.  For our students, internships provide a tangible and significant opportunity to explore a career field and determine if it is appropriate for him or her.  For our teachers, externships provide an opportunity to update skills and experience what is currently happening in industry.  This has a direct correlation with raising the quality of education in the classroom.


teacher collaborations

Best practices in the classroom come from working together to discuss what is and what is not working.  Regular and deep collaboration helps ensure our Career Technical Education programs are effective for all stakeholders.


program alignment

We know that we won't be able to create master technicians in each industry sector at the conclusion of high school.  However, where more education and training is needed, we want to make sure our students are prepared to successfully transition and engage in that next level.  Through industry advisories and community college partnerships and articulations, we strive to ensure folks are on the right path and that the path is a quality one.