1. Career Clusters® 101: An Introduction to a Framework for Impacting Students, Communities and the Economy
Presented by:
Date:
Talking Points for Trainers…
Welcome the group. Introduce yourself and explain how you became familiar with Career Clusters®.

2. Implementation The Framework Purpose Talking Points for Trainers…
Explain that today’s presentation will start with the purpose of Career Clusters®. Then, the presentation will share the framework and information about how to implement Career Clusters®.
If you’d like, here is a quote that you can use from the Introduction of a whitepaper titled, “Career Pathways: Education with a Purpose” which was compiled and co-authors by Dan Hull.
“As high schools move to the forefront of education reform, policymakers and practitioners from the national level to the local level are looking for ways to improve student achievement, high school graduation rates, and the career and college prospects for high school-aged young people.” (CORD, 2005) Introduction, pg. vii.

3. Purpose Talking Points for Trainers…
Let’s start with three real world situations. (Note: if you have personal anecdotes, please replace with the fictitious ones)
Story # 1 - Corey is an average student in an average public school. He has to work hard for his grades, and he’s in a couple of advanced classes. During his sophomore year, Corey ended up in a computer programming class one semester because it was the only course available for that opening in his schedule. He discovered he loved programming. But during his junior and senior years, Corey was in “regular” college prep classes. When he graduated, he was accepted to a state college where he signed up as a general studies major. His second semester in, Corey’s grades were poor, and his motivation was waning as the college loans mounted and his family pressured him to “just get a job.”
How many “Coreys” are out there – students with aptitude and interest but no pathway to help them accelerate to success?
Story #2 – Linda is a high school drop out and single mom working in retail trying to create a better life for her kids, but she doesn’t see how her skills are transferable and doesn’t understand the options available to choose another path.
Story #3 – Anna is a middle school student who, after taking a career interest inventory, identifies with the skills, abilities and talents found in the health care field. Anna’s high school offers a sequence of courses in Health Sciences, and she joins the Health Occupation Student Association Chapter. Anna has the opportunity to earn industry-based certifications and starts working in her community while a junior in high school. With her supportive teachers, she’s determined to continue her studies and become a radiologist.
Of these three scenarios, what path do we want our students and workforce experiencing?
The purpose of Career Clusters® is to provide a framework that helps students, adult learners and communities identify common Career Pathways – pathways that cause schools, colleges, employers, agencies and others to coordinate and integrate. Once coordinated and integrated, those entities will ultimately better serve students, families and communities.
Purpose

4. Operating Principles of Career Clusters®
Talking Points for Trainers…
The following section describes the foundational principles that accompany The National Career Cluster® Framework.
Operating Principles of Career Clusters®

5. All Students have a Career Pathway.
Career pathways should match student interests and aptitudes.
Students voluntarily choose their own career pathway.
No student is locked into a track or career pathway involuntarily.
Career pathways extend into adulthood.
Talking Points for Trainers…
Read the text off the slides. Add supplemental information and/or personal reflection, if desired.

6. Students should be college-ready
Students should be college-ready. Even if college is not the first destination after high school.
Talking Points for Trainers…
ACT defines college readiness as the level of achievement a student needs to be ready to enroll and succeed—without remediation—in credit-bearing first-year postsecondary courses ( And by postsecondary we mean two-year or four-year institutions, trade schools, and technical schools.
You might point out the increase in the number of people already in the workforce who are returning to complete degrees to take advantage of new opportunities. Students that may not be interested in college today may reconsider that notion in 5 or 10 years, and they should be college ready at that point.

7. Career-ready is more than college-ready.
Talking Points for Trainers…
College is merely a continuation of one’s education to get the occupation they want. The career-ready person is prepared for continuous employment, the ability to learn and relearn, to stay current with trends and be able to manage their career. College is a pathway to career-readiness, not an end in and of itself.
Perceptions are changing nationally, and the work of the Career Readiness Partner Council is a good example. This group is working to arrive at what it means for an individual to be truly career ready and will have a working definition and four main elements in the fall of 2012.

8. All students should have the opportunity for career awareness, career exploration and some level of career preparation in school (K-12).
Talking Points for Trainers…
Later on in our presentation, we’ll explore this in more depth from K – 12.
All of these together are sometimes referred to as career development. Career development ought to begin in middle school and continue through a student’s schooling (secondary and postsecondary). It might consist of a program of study or individual learning plan that can ebb and flow as the student learns of opportunities available and/or has experiences that allow them to make choices about their future.
Career development could begin with the school counselor and include the student and his/her parents as part of the learning and decision-making occurs.

9. Curriculum (including CTE) serves the needs of students’ career pathways.
Talking Points for Trainers…
Curriculum is career and technical in nature, as well as including the academic core content. Students learning through Career Clusters® understand the contextual nature of learning and apply academics to real world situations.

10. Rationale Talking Points for Trainers…
Let’s explore some of the rationale for Career Clusters®.
Rationale

11. The Changing U.S. Workforce
Professional
20%
Professional
20%
Talking Points for Trainers…
According to the Pathways to Prosperity Report produced by Harvard University in February 2011, “The message is clear - in 21st century America, education beyond high school is the passport to the American Dream. But how much and what kind of post-secondary education is really needed to prosper in the new American economy?” Career Clusters® can be used to help more students access pathways that lead to viable careers.
Source: Pathways to Prosperity, Harvard, February 2011

12. National Initiatives Talking Points for Trainers…
According to the Georgetown Report: Career Clusters® Forecasting Demand for High School through College Jobs (
“For those with high school educations or less, the picture is one of restricted opportunity — there will be jobs for them, but in diminishing quantity and only in certain clusters.”
Consider:
• Thirty-seven percent of all jobs in 2018 will be for workers who have either a high school diploma or incomplete high school education with some on the- job training. This number is down from 72 percent in 1973, 44 percent in 1992, and 41 percent in 2007.
• Of the thirty-seven percent of jobs for workers with high school or less by 2018, only one-third of these will pay the lower limit of the Minimum Earning Threshold (MET( defined as $35,000 per year or better, on average.
This is not just a concern in the K-12 system. Only about 40% of the adult population in the United States has a postsecondary credential – thus decreasing the earning potential for many Americans. The Lumina Foundation has identified a “big goal – to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials1 to 60 percent by the year 2025.”

13. Economic Realities
Half of all newly created jobs in the U.S. will require postsecondary degree.
Fastest growth will occur in jobs requiring an associate’s degree.
1/3 of all job openings in the U.S. will require a postsecondary degree.
Occupations
Talking Points for Trainers
These conclusions about occupations in come from National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE)/Georgetown University job projections and demonstrate the changing reality of our economy.
Note to Trainer – your state’s data can be put into the lower right-hand quadrant for customization. For your state’s report go to
For individual CTE State Profiles, visit

14. Continuing Effects of Globalization of Economy
Abundance
Automation
Asia
Note to Trainer – if you are familiar with this book, please include, if not, please delete from deck
Talking Points for Trainers…
Daniel Pink’s book is a little easier read for most of us than Freidman’s the World is Flat. Pink outlines in his book, A Whole New Mind, that the jobs in the 21st Century are not routine. He cites three factors that influence the world of work in America today. Those are Abundance, Automation and Asia.
Pink describes how wealthy our country is. Even our poor are wealthier than those in other countries. Because of our abundance, we choose products not only for their use, but also for their aesthetics. His research indicates that most of us could purchase the $5.99 toilet bowl brush, but in fact we are more likely to purchase the designer $19.99 toilet bowl brush.
Automation – Think back 20 years ago. Did you have automatic deposit for your pay check, or did you more likely have a check mailed to your home or placed on your office desk? Did you drive or walk to the bank, deposit the check and withdraw some cash for the week? Now think about the way we bank today. Automation is so advanced that many banks allow customers to take a photo of their check (front and back), type in the amount and make the immediate deposit. No longer do banks need the physical paper anymore.
The same is true with other occupations. If the information or service can be digitized, it can be outsourced or in-sourced. Drive thru customers in California are actually talking with at home telemarketers in South Dakota when placing an order for their hamburger. What can be digitized can be done someplace else in the world where labor is cheaper and more efficient.
Lastly, Asia plays a HUGE role in our global economy. When we look at the number of people in Asia, which includes China and India – over 2 billion people, they are competing for the same jobs as our students and current workers. Therefore we need to maintain a competitive edge over them. Our creativity and innovation in the country prepare our workers for that, but we must remain vigilant and be sure to prepare all of our citizens if we are to be successful.

15. Source: www.skillscommission.org
Continuing Effects of Globalization of Economy
Routine Work
By Machines
by People
Creative Work
Jobs Pyramid
United States
Developing Countries
Talking Points for Trainers…
In 2008, the Skills Commission presented the Job Pyramid, which outlines how the United States can stay globally competitive. In order to maintain our current quality of life, we must devote more time and effort to those jobs found in the creative work category, rather than in routine work. Developing countries will have the opportunity to do creative work, but the majority of their work will be routine.
All Career Clusters® have creative work. For example:
If you have had to call a roofer to find out where the water is coming into your home, you know it takes a great deal of understanding and creativity related to water to find its source and fix it.
Creative work is the ability to solve problems and think critically.
Source:

16. Challenges Our Students Face
Engagement
Achievement
Transition
Talking Points for Trainers…
One challenge is engagement – keeping students engaged so that they complete high school. When we address retention problems, we need to address the issue of student engagement. The days where a high school diploma was sufficient to earn a decent living are gone. The days of working on the same factory line for your whole adult life and then facing an easy retirement are gone.
It is vitally important that students complete high school and are prepared to transition to a lifetime of learning . . .

17. Engagement Talking Points for Trainers…
In the past three decades, we have seen a decrease in the number of students ages 15 – 24 who have dropped out of grades 10-12, but the percentage is still alarming. In 2009, 3.4% of students – that equates to more than 370,000 students – disengaged in the education system for one reason or another.
In 2009, US DOE reported 10,920,000 students enrolled.
Source: Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972–2009 Compendium Report
US DOE

18. Why Do They Leave?
Talking Points for Trainers…
So why do they leave? (Read categories aloud.) The first (red), second (green) and last (orange) categories are linked to lack of a student’s engagement with the subject matter. Why?
Students lack motivation to learn.
Don’t see relevance
Lack focus
Abstract subject matter
Academics that lack rigor
Students need:
Awareness of the link between education & the workplace
Career information that links to education
In addition, policy makers are concerned about:
Growing achievement gap.
High drop out rates.
High remediation rates.
Low completion rates at the postsecondary level.
Source: “The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts” Civic Enterprises, 2006

19. Challenges Our Students Face
Engagement
Achievement
Transition
Talking Points for Trainers…
Another challenge is student achievement – How can we help learners have greater success in their courses, grades, test scores . . .?
When students see the relevance of what they’re learning to the academic context (how will this affect me in the real world?) (how would I apply this in a career?), they are more interested in learning.
The Math‐in‐CTE study, conducted by the National Research Center for Career Technical Education, found that students who followed a CTE curriculum enhanced with mathematics outperformed their peers on math assessments, including college placement tests. These students did not take more math electives; they just took a course that applied math to a topic in which they already had interest and placed it within a framework of relevancy. (from Career Technical Education: A Partner For Effective High School Reform) on .

20. High School Achievement
Trends in average reading scores for students ages 9, 13 and 17 ( )
Talking Points for Trainers…
Scores on reading (and math) achievement have been completely flat on the National Assessment for Education Progress over the past twenty years. We finally have good news that younger children are starting to read at higher levels and that achievement gaps among white and Asian children, and poor, black and Hispanic children are beginning to close. But for students at the middle school and high school levels, there has been no change in achievement.
Source: US DOE NAEP Scores, selected years

21. Challenges Our Students Face
Engagement
Achievement
Transition
Talking Points for Trainers…
The 3rd major challenge relates to transition – both to postsecondary education and to the workplace.

22. Transitions from High School
Talking Points for Trainers…
According to Education Week, of every 100 students who begin the 9th grade, 68 graduate high school in 4 years;
40 of them go on to START college; 27 of them make it to their sophomore year in college; and ONLY 18 of the 100 will actually graduate from college.
Here are sources for more statistics regarding transitions: 23

23. Percentage of population with a postsecondary credential
Global Competition
57.9
48.8
40.0
Talking Points for Trainers…
Recently, other countries have been emulating our example and are closing the gap.
We may have the best-educated 55 to 64 year olds in the world, but our education edge has eroded or disappeared among younger generations. We rank number one in the world in the percentage of 55 to 64 year olds who have completed secondary and postsecondary education. Among 25 to 34 year olds, however, we rank number eight in secondary completion, and are number four in postsecondary completion.
The graph shows how we compare to a sample of four other countries.
55-64
25-64
25-34
College Board Report 2011
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010

24. College Degrees Related to Unemployment
New Bachelor’s degree %
Recent high school diploma %
Recent high school dropouts %
Generally higher in non-technical majors:
Arts (11.1 percent)
Humanities and Liberal Arts (9.4 percent)
Social Science (8.9 percent)
Law and Public Policy (8.1 percent)
Relatively low (5.4 percent) for recent college students who majored in Healthcare and Education because these majors are attached to stable or growing industry sectors.
Talking Points for Trainers….
Dr. Tony Carnevale’s research at Georgetown University shows that not all college degrees are equal when securing employment in today’s economy. Released January 4, 2012.
Unemployment for students with new Bachelor’s degrees is an unacceptable 8.9 percent, but it’s a catastrophic 22.9 percent for job seekers with a recent high school diploma—and an almost unthinkable 31.5 percent for recent high school dropouts.
Unemployment rates are generally higher in non-technical majors, such as the Arts (11.1 percent), Humanities and Liberal Arts (9.4 percent), Social Science (8.9 percent) and Law and Public Policy (8.1 percent).
Unemployment rates are relatively low (5.4 percent) for recent college students who majored in Healthcare and Education because these majors are attached to stable or growing industry sectors.
Source:

25. Implementation The Framework Purpose Talking Points for Trainers….
Now that we’ve set up “why” a new model was needed to plan and coordinate education and training efforts, let’s get into more detail about the framework itself.

26. The 16 Career Clusters® ® Talking Points for Trainers…
The framework starts with the 16 Career Clusters®.
Define a Career Cluster®: large groupings of careers or occupations – the 16 Career Clusters® represent ALL current career options – from theoretical physicist to lawn care technician.
Background: The model of 16 Career Clusters® emerged in the late 1990’s from a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor. The need for a new model came from the recognition that models used to classify careers were insufficient given the technological advancements in many areas.

27. An Example Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Cluster®
The production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture and other plant and animal products/resources.
Food Products and Processing Systems Career Pathway
Plant Systems Career Pathway
Animal Systems Career Pathway
Power, Structural & Technical Systems Career Pathway
Natural Resources Systems Career Pathway
Environmental Service Systems Career Pathway
Agribusiness Systems Career Pathway
Talking Points for Trainers…
Explain that each Career Cluster® has multiple Career Pathways, which are smaller collections of related careers and fields. The framework, then, at the most basic level is the collection of the 16 Career Clusters® and 79 Career Pathways.

28. Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
An Example
Career Cluster®
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Career Pathway
Food Products & Processing Systems
Plant Systems
Animal
Systems
Agribusiness Systems
Power, Structural & Technical Systems
Natural Resources Systems
Environmental Service Systems
Talking Points for Trainers….
In this example, we see that the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Cluster® has seven Career Pathways. Agribusiness Systems is one of those pathways. Within Agribusiness Systems, there are hundreds of career specialties and occupations. Five examples are shown on the screen. This slide is a reminder of how diverse and varied the career options are with each of the 79 Career Pathways and 16 Career Clusters®.
Career Options
Aquacultural Managers
Farm Labor Contractors
Precision Agriculture Technicians
Crop & Livestock Managers
Food Scientists

29. Every Career Cluster® and Career Pathway contains careers that can appeal to all students regardless of background, race, ethnicity, gender or age, which are…
High-Skill
High-Demand
High-Wage
Talking Points for Trainers…
Outdated stereotypes could lead some to believe that there are Career Clusters® and Career Pathways that contain only entry-level or manual labor careers. This not the case.

30. Options in Every Career Cluster®
High School only with
on-the-job training
Technical Degree or Training
4-Year College Degree
Advanced Degree
Architect, Materials Researcher, Urban Planner
Construction Manager, Cost Estimator, Facilities Engineer
Electrician, Surveyor, Architectural Draftsman, Safety Director
Painter, Roofer, Insulation
Installer, Framer
Talking Points for Trainers…
Here are some examples of careers in each level of education required for the position. Like a ladder, career seekers can enter and exit the workforce to retool and train for another career requiring more advanced education.
Source: Career information came from O*Net
Architecture and Construction Career Cluster®
Source: O*Net Career information

31. Options in Every Career Cluster®
High School only with
on-the-job training
Technical Degree or Training
4-Year College Degree
Advanced Degree
Animal Scientist, Economist, Biochemist
Soil and Water Conservationist, Forester, Crop & Livestock Manager
Food Science Technician, Farmer or Rancher, Nursery Greenhouse Manager
Grounds Maintenance Worker, Floral Designer, Tree Trimmer and Pruner
Talking Points for Trainers…
Source: Career information came from O*Net
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Career Cluster ®
Source: O*Net Career information

32. Options in Every Career Cluster®
High School only with
on-the-job training
Technical Degree or Training
4-Year College Degree
Advanced Degree
Organizational Behavior Studies, International Finance, Industrial Relations
Sales Engineer, Appraiser, Energy Broker, Meeting & Convention Planner
Real Estate Broker, Fashion Designer, Travel Guide, Assessor
Cashier, Stock Clerk, Counter & Rental Clerk, Telemarketer
Talking Points for Trainers…
Source: Career information came from O*Net
Marketing Career Cluster®
Source: O*Net Career information

33. The Value of The National Career Clusters® Framework
Talking Points for Trainers…
With the understanding of the basic framework, let’s identify the value of adopting Career Clusters® as a common framework.

34. Value of Career Clusters®
Clear and consistent model
Builds transferrable skills
Provides structure
Promotes seamless transition
Relevant and integrated approach
Apples to ALL students
Talking Points for Trainers…
Provides a clear and consistent model for career exploration, guidance and planning across institutions and agencies.
Focuses on building transferrable skills in students to make them more agile and mobile in a rapidly evolving economy.
Provides structure for designing educational and training programs of study that meet the needs of all students and the community.
Promotes more options and more seamless transitions in education and training.
Allows for an integrated and rigorous approach to academic and technical education.
And most importantly, it is for ALL students. Career Clusters® works for special education, gifted and talented and special populations of students and job seekers. It integrates employability skills and aligns high school learning with postsecondary training and credentialing.

35. What the Framework is NOT
Prescribed system
Tracking students
One-size-fits-all approach
A goal in itself
A model just for Career Technical Education programs and students
Talking Points for Trainers…
Use examples and personal perspective to illuminate each point.

36. Models of Adapting the National CAREER CLUSTERS® Framework
Talking Points for Trainers…
Note that The Framework is a national model, but can be adapted to meet the needs of regions, states, and local communities. The basic idea and operating principles are what make Career Clusters®effective; the details of the framework itself are adaptable and may evolve over time as the economy grows and technology advances.

37. Nebraska Adaptation Example
Talking Points for Trainers…
Here is an example of grouping the Career Clusters® into larger fields.
Nebraska is an example of a state that organized the 16 Career Clusters® into six fields to better serve the needs of rural schools in the state.

38. Maryland Adaptation Example
Maryland’s system encompasses virtually all careers and levels of education – from entry level to professional level – in the following 10 career clusters:
Talking Points for Trainers…
Here is an example of consolidating the Career Clusters®.
Maryland organized the 16 Career Clusters® into 10 career clusters to align programs and services.

39. Colorado and Florida Adaptation
Talking Points for Trainers…
Colorado is an example of a state that added a new career cluster - “Energy” in this case – due to its unique importance to the state’s economy and the number of careers specifically related to it.

40. Implementation The Framework Purpose Talking Points for Trainers…
Let’s shift gears and talk about how The National Career Clusters® Framework can be implemented.

41. Career Clusters® and the Education System
Talking Points for Trainers…
First, let’s look at how Career Clusters® impacts education.
Career Clusters® and the Education System

42. Influence on the System
Employment: Career Advancement Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning
Postsecondary: Career Preparation
Achieving credentials: college, certification, apprenticeship, military
9-12: Programs of Study Related to a Career Goal
Academics and technical courses, intensive guidance, individual graduation plans
Grade 8: Career Exploration and Transition
Develop graduation plans based upon personal interest/cluster areas
Talking Points for Trainers…
Most students learn about the jobs and careers around them from their parents or other significant adults in their life. This is a rather narrow picture of the thousands of occupations an individual might be interested in. To provide a more global perspective, we’ve developed a staircase of experiences for students from kindergarten through the individual’s career. Let’s start with the basics.
From kindergarten to the end of elementary, students should be exposed to the broad concepts of the 16 Career Clusters®.
Starting in the middle grades, students should have the opportunity to do some career exploration. What talents and skills do they have innately that could apply to a future job?
By the end of the 8th grade, it is desirable that a student develop a high school graduation plan (sometimes called a 4-year plan) to intentionally guide the student through high school, which will prepare him/her for the next stage in life.
During high school, the student should have a myriad of opportunities to determine if the career area is a good fit for the individual or if that was not the right path for them. For it is just as important for a student to learn what they don’t like to do as it is to confirm what they do like to do.
In some instances, high school students may have the opportunity to earn an industry-based credential that will allow them to enter directly into the workforce upon high school completion. But for most students, they will need some additional form of postsecondary education. This is the time when they finalize their training to prepare them for the occupation they have chosen. This training could be a 4 – 6 week training for a certification or 8 – 10 years for a professional degree.
Finally, it doesn’t stop there. Until the individual retires, they will need to continue to retool and train for a dynamic and changing workforce.
6-8: Initial Career Exploration
Discovering interest areas
K-5: Understanding the Importance and Value of Work and Jobs
Introduction to the world of careers

43. Common Core State Standards & Common Career Technical Core
Talking Points for Trainers….
The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.
The Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) initiative is a state-led effort to develop a shared set of rigorous, high-quality Career Technical Education standards. NASDCTEc is coordinating the state-led effort. A range of stakeholders from business and industry to educators will be involved in the multi-step process to develop the CCTC. Forty-two states have declared support for the development of the CCTC. Each of the 42 states, as well as Washington, DC, and Palau, nominated experts from a range of sectors -- from business and industry to education -- to participate in working groups charged with the development of the CCTC in the spring of 2012.
The project paper with Achieve demonstrates the breaking down of barriers and silos within education, documenting the relationship between academic and CTE instruction. CTE provides the relevance to academic learning while the Common Core provides the academic foundation.

44. Application of Career Clusters®
Elementary, Middle and Comprehensive High Schools
Regional Career Centers
Community Colleges
Career Academies
Workforce Training
Small Learning Communities
Early and Middle College
Magnet Schools
Talking Points for Trainers…
The National Career Clusters® Framework can be used as a guiding and organizing model in nearly any type of school. There are examples of successful application in all of the types of schools listed on the screen. While the end result of the application will look different in all of these situations, the use of the Framework and the shared operating principles helps guide changes in structure, operation and delivery of services for students.

45. Benefits Learners Teachers & Faculty Schools & Colleges Parents
Talking Points for Trainers…
(appear one by one)
Benefits for Learners
Enhances academic achievement by providing real-world relevance
Provides opportunities to explore multiple pathways
Helps relate high profile careers to real life situations
Benefits for Teachers & Faculty
Curriculum can be tailored to the needs of the community
Opportunity to integrate CTE and traditional academics
Opportunity to enhance academic achievement for all students
Learners with better academic skills and in need of less remediation
Benefits for Schools and Colleges
Broadens the scope of existing curricula
Encourages coordination among faculty
Provides a framework for curriculum alignment
Learners have established a career path to guide planning
Benefits for Parents
Smoother entry into postsecondary education
Students can make better career decisions
Benefits for Business
Provides a well-qualified workforce which can quickly adapt to changing needs
Opportunity for input in school curriculum
Framework for cross-training or retooling the workforce
Benefits for Counselors
Connects learner interest with coursework
Motivates learners to reach higher academic achievement
Shows relevance of school to postsecondary and lifelong learning
Business
School Counselors

46. Career Clusters® and Relationship to CTE
Talking Points for Trainers…
While the Career Clusters® model does not apply exclusively to Career Technical Education (CTE), the model does provide opportunities to advance a new vision for CTE in America’s schools.
Career Clusters® and Relationship to CTE

47. Career Technical Education
THEN
NOW/FUTURE
Vocational Education
Career Technical Education
For a Few Students
For All Students
For a Few “Jobs”
For All Careers
6 to 7 “Program Areas”
16 Career Clusters®
79 Career Pathways
In lieu of Academics
Aligns/Supports Academics
High-School Focused
High School and College Partnerships
Talking Points for Trainers…
When many of us were in school, students were categorized by “College-Prep” and “Trades or Vocational” students. Things have changed… Career technical education is no longer for “those” (use quote fingers) students. As we’ve outlined previously, we need all students engaged in the workforce, and they need to be prepared to work in a 21st Century Global economy.
The five core principles for a new vision for CTE are:
CTE is critical to ensuring that the United States leads in global competitiveness.
CTE actively partners with employers to design and provide high-quality, dynamic programs.
CTE prepares students to succeed in further education and careers.
CTE is delivered through comprehensive programs of study aligned to The National Career Clusters® Framework.
CTE is a results-driven system that demonstrates a positive return on investment.
(NASDCTEc, “Reflect, Transform, Lead: A New Vision for Career Technical Education”)

48. Supporting the Current and Future Goals of Perkins Legislation
Attend to high-skill, high-wage, high-demand career fields of modern economy
Focus on programs of study – not just programs and courses
Include more rigor and more integration of academics in CTE programs
Enact better transitions from high school
Promote partnerships
Talking Points for Trainers…
Explain that Perkins legislation authorizes federal support for CTE programming at the state and local level. The legislation is re-authorized every five years.
This slide highlights goals of the current Perkins legislation.

49. Is this the beginning of national curriculum and testing in CTE?
Does this mean the end of high school CTE programs like Family and Consumer Sciences or Business Education?
Is this the beginning of national curriculum and testing in CTE?
How does this change the type of student that CTE serves in schools?
Talking Points for Trainers…
Responses to each question:
#1 – No. It’s an opportunity to be more relevant – to have more coordination with postsecondary or to possibly offer more dual credit options for students while in high school. Also, it means thinking about programs of study that correlate to career pathways – some of which may combine classes from different CTE programs, arts and the academic fields.
#2 – No. It’s about allowing greater coordination and collaboration – locally, regionally and nationally.
#3 – Depends on who you serve now. As you can see, all career pathways require people with all levels of education – so your CTE programs should be doing the same.

50. Tools Talking Points for Trainers…
This section introduces you to tools that are available to implement Career Clusters®
Tools

51. Free Resources Source: www.careertech.org Talking Points for Trainers…
There are a number of free resources available for download at careerclusters.org.
Sample plans of study
Background information and white papers
News and stories
CTE Publicity Kit
Promotional Materials
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52. Posters and Brochures Talking Points for Trainers…
Posters and brochures to create awareness and understanding of Career Clusters® are available for purchase through the Web site (

53. Programs of Study – the Primary Driver of Implementation
Talking Points for Trainers…
This section highlights a particularly important driver for implementation of The National Career Clusters® Framework –programs of study.

54. Why Programs of Study? Talking Points for Trainers…
Defined programs of study that offer all students an opportunity to find and follow a career pathway are the key driver to implementing Career Clusters® within a system.
The programs of study (POS) provide successful student transitions between secondary and postsecondary education. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) calls upon states to create sequences of academic and Career Technical Education (CTE) coursework to help students attain a postsecondary degree or industry-recognized certificate or credential.

55. Programs of Study (POS)
Incorporate and align secondary and postsecondary education elements.
Include academic and CTE content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses.
Offer the opportunity, if appropriate, for secondary students to acquire postsecondary credits.
Lead to an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.
Support the POS 10 Component Framework tenants.
Trainer Talking Points….
At minimum, a school’s program of study must meet the criteria listed on the slide.

56. More than… Trainer Points…
A program of study is more than identifying courses within a schools curriculum offering or sequence. The programs of study (POS) provide successful student transitions between secondary and postsecondary education. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) calls upon states to create sequences of academic and Career Technical Education (CTE) coursework to help students attain a postsecondary degree or industry-recognized certificate or credential.
Career Clusters® provides the organizational structure for developing POS.

57. The 10 Components of a Rigorous Program of Study
Talking Points for Trainers…
The Office of Vocational and Adult Education has identified 10 components of a rigorous program of study. Let’s briefly explore each.
Policies and Procedures: Federal, state and local legislation or administrative policies promote POS development and implementation.
Partnerships: Ongoing relationships among education, business and other community stakeholders are central to POS.
Professional Development: Sustained, intensive and focused opportunities for administrators, all teachers (both CTE and Core 4) to foster POS design, implementation and maintenance.
Accountability and Evaluation Systems: Systems and strategies to gather quantitative and qualitative data on both POS components and student outcomes are crucial for ongoing efforts to develop and implement POS.
College and Career Readiness Standards: Content standards that define what all students are expected to know and be able to do to enter and advance in college and/or their careers comprise the foundation of a POS.
Course Sequences: Non-duplicative sequences of secondary and postsecondary courses within a POS ensure that students transition to postsecondary education without duplicating classes or requiring remedial coursework.
Credit Transfer/Articulation Agreements: Credit transfer agreements provide opportunities for secondary students to be awarded transcripted postsecondary credit, supported with formal agreements among secondary and postsecondary education systems.
School Counseling and Academic Advisement: School counseling and academic advisement help all students to make informed decisions about which POS to pursue.
Teaching and Learning Strategies: Innovative and creative instructional approaches enable teachers, both CTE and Core 4, to integrate academic and technical instruction and students to apply academic and technical learning in their POS coursework.
Technical Skills Attainment: National, state and/or local assessments provide ongoing information on the extent to which students are attaining the necessary knowledge and skills for entry into and advancement in postsecondary education and careers in their chosen POS.
Help the audience make the connection that when POS are implemented using Career Clusters® they are more likely to meet these criteria. Important to note that the 10 components are not sequenced or prioritized in any fashion.

58. Implementation The Framework Purpose Questions?
Talking Points for Trainers…
Ask for questions from the audience.

59. Thank YOU! Talking Points for Trainers…
Thank them for their time and attention. Provide means for people to follow up with questions at a later time. Reminder to complete the evaluation form.
Thank YOU!