Students practice hands-on skills that are required to prepare commercial foods in quantity. All phases of baking are taught as part of the program. Job related classroom competencies in sanitation, safety, employability skills, care and use of equipment, basic nutrition, menu planning, food costing, portion control, and hospitality management are also part of the instruction.

The Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) program at ASA is lab-based with almost every class meeting having a hands-on (learn-by-doing) approach where students train and work on actual air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.  This lab allows students to gain experience in equipment installation, maintaining air conditioning units, troubleshooting equipment failures and refrigeration systems.

Instruction includes: selection of proper torch tips and filler rods; adjustment of gas pressure and flame according to the size and characteristics of metal; selection of proper electrodes; adjustment of voltage and current for the type of metal; flame cutting, and use of equipment introducing a shield of inert gas (MIG-TIG) around the electric arc to prevent oxidation. Instruction also involves classroom and practical experiences to teach students to fabricate and weld pipe joints and perform fabrication in the specialized area of pipe welding.