Understanding CIP Codes Janet L. Washbon Associate Vice President Policy and Government Relations Wisconsin Technical College System November 17, 2008

Overview What are CIP Codes? How are CIP codes used? How do CIP Codes relate to other classification systems What are the limitations of CIP Codes?

CIP Definition CIP stands for Classification of Instructional Programs Developed by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) within the US Education Department Developed in 1980 with revisions in 1985, 1990, 2000

CIP Usage US ED data collection efforts: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Office of Civil Rights Office of Vocational and Adult Education Other federal data collection efforts: National Science Foundation Department of Commerce/Bureau of Census Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics Others including associations, academic institutions, and employment and counseling services

Purpose of CIP CIP provides a taxonomic or classification scheme for accurate tracking, assessment, and reporting of fields of study and program completions activity Not a regulatory device, but a standard statistical reporting tool across agencies, instructional levels, and institutional boundaries reflecting current practice

Organization of CIP Codes Academic and occupationally-specific programs Residency programs in dental, medical, and veterinary specializations Technology and industrial arts programs (non- postsecondary level) ROTC Personal improvement and leisure-time programs (includes adult education) Instructional programs (secondary level only) Instructional programs for French speakers where French is primary language of instruction

CIP Classification System Assumes every instructional program can be assigned to a single six-digit program code associated with a unique program title and description Three-level hierarchy of codes Two-digit series represent the most general description Four-digit series represent intermediate groupings of related programs Six-digit series represent specific instructional programs

Academic and Occupationally-Specific Programs Examples from the Two-Digit CIP Code Series 01 Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences 03 Natural Resources Conservation and Research 04 Architecture and Related Services 05 Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies 09 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 10 Communication Technologies/Technicians and Support Services

Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services 10. Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services Instructional programs that prepare individuals to function as equipment operators, support technicians, and operations managers in the film/video, recording, and graphic communications industries Communications Technology/Technician Communications Technology/Technician A program that generally prepares individuals to function as workers and managers within communications industries. Includes instruction in business economics; basic management; principles of interpersonal and mediated communications; radio, television, and digital media production; and related aspects of technology and communications systems

Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services 10. Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services Instructional programs that prepare individuals to function as equipment operators, support technicians, and operations managers in the film/video, recording, and graphic communications industries AudioVisual Communications Technology/Technician Photographic and Film/Video Technology/Technician and Assistant A program that prepares individuals to apply knowledge and skills to the operation and maintenance of camera and lighting equipment and the production of finished still, video, and film products under the supervision of photographers, directors, and editors. Includes instruction in equipment setup and maintenance; lighting; power supplies; studio and film set tasks such as camera operator, grip, and best boy; plate and negative handling and development; laboratory procedures; and digital software applications.

Common Classification Systems CIP (instructional programs) Career Clusters/Pathways (occupations/industries) Standard Occupational Classification (occupations) NAICS (industries)

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Used by governmental agencies and public sector to provide a framework to classify workers or jobs into occupational categories for collecting, calculating, analyzing, and reporting data about jobs and employment. All workers are classified into one of over 820 occupations according to their occupational definition. SOC uses a six-digit hierarchical coding system to classify all economic activity into 23 major occupational groups, 96 minor groups, and 449 broad occupations. Each broad occupation includes detailed occupation(s) requiring similar job duties, skills, education, or experience.

Career Pathways/Clusters Classification Developed and used by career and technical education community to provide a framework for academic and career guidance, curriculum design, instruction, and federal reporting for secondary and postsecondary CTE programs. Occupations/career specialties are grouped into Career Pathways/Clusters based on the fact that they require a set of common knowledge and skills for career success. Identifies the knowledge and skills students need as they follow a pathway within a career cluster towards their career goals. Careers are classified into about 81 pathways within 16 career clusters.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Used by governmental agencies and private sector to provide a framework for collecting, aggregating, analyzing, and reporting data about the US economy including employment, productivity, and distribution of industry and establishments. Groups establishments into industries based on the activity in which they are primarily engaged. Establishments using similar raw material inputs, similar capital equipment, and similar labor are classified in the same industry. NAICS uses a six-digit hierarchical coding system to classify all economic activity into twenty industry sectors. Five sectors are mainly goods-producing sectors Fifteen are entirely services-producing sectors.

Crosswalks Purpose of crosswalk is to help us map information from one coding scheme into another. Why? For a given set of programs, what are the occupational areas for which students are being prepared or would provide appropriate occupational experience for instructors? ( CIP  SOC) For a given set of programs, what industries would typically employ graduates? (CIP  SOC  NAICS) For a given set of programs, what might be recommended for their high school preparation? ( CIP  Career Pathways/Clusters )

Example CIP Code to SOC Crosswalk CIP 10. Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services SOC Production Occupations SOC Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations SOC Office and Administrative Support Occupations SOC Broadcast technicians

Example SOC Code to NAICS Crosswalk NAICS Television broadcasting NAICS Radio broadcasting NAICS Self-employed workers, primary job NAICS Colleges, universities, and professional schools, public and private SOC Broadcast technicians

Example CIP Code to Career Clusters Crosswalk Telecommunications Pathway Printing Technology Pathway Visual Arts Pathway Journalism and Broadcasting Pathway CIP 10. Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services SOC Broadcast technicians

Limitations of CIP Codes In a fast-paced world of changing technology, classifications become out-of-date Occupations appear and disappear in response to changes in how we put technology to work All occupations change over time Most career and technical education programs must evolve to incorporate new material New and emerging occupations require new and changing programs CIP codes can’t keep up; 9999 bucket (All other ____ technicians) must be re-examined and codes and classifications revised