As the economy dives, high school students across Virginia are increasingly turning to career and technical-education programs so they can go directly into the work force after graduation.

Second-year students enrolled at the Cisco Networking Academy at the Chesterfield Technical Center are embarking on a hands-on project to address the technology network of a growing fictitious company. About 25 students working in teams will be required to investigate the existing network of the company and design and prototype the upgrades necessary to support the network’s growth.