For those who are interested in an alternative to a typical four-year college degree, a career and technical education may be a possibility. It can also be beneficial for those who want to start gaining practical information and skills prior to college but still seek a university education. You can evaluate if this form of schooling can best prepare you for your career by learning more about it.
What is a technical and career education?
The practice of teaching pupils specific tech-based and career-oriented skills is known as career and technical education (CTE). CTE provides training for jobs in different industries. Middle school, high school, and post-secondary schools like community or technical colleges all offer CTE courses to students.
CTE emphasizes skills as opposed to traditional education, which is based in universities and emphasizes theory. Practical training, study sessions, and application tests make up the majority of vocational and technical education. Students who pursue a CTE gain experience prior to beginning their jobs.
Programme paths for career and technical education
Food, farming, and natural resources
Students in the agriculture cluster train for careers in environmental science, agrotechnology, food processing, animal science, and plant science. Students who major in agriculture can pursue careers as farmers, inspectors, lab technicians, administrators, and researchers. If they would rather work indoors, they could test the compliance of soil and building emissions in a lab.
Career paths are:
- Agribusiness systems
- Animal systems
- Environmental service systems
- Food products and processing systems
- Natural resources systems
- Plant systems
- Power, structural, and technical systems
Telecommunication, audiovisual technology, and the arts
Students who choose this career path are prepared for jobs in journalism, broadcasting, printing technology, performing arts, visual arts, telecommunications, audio/video technology, and cinema. Numerous students go on to work in fields like lighting design, audio engineering, and other related fields.
Career paths are:
- A/V technology and film
- Journalism and broadcasting
- Performing arts
- Printing technology
- Telecommunications
- Visual arts
Architecture and construction
Students who choose this career path can pursue professions in pre-construction, construction, and operations. They research the fundamentals of creating and drafting structures. Graduates can work for architectural firms or construction enterprises even though they lack the qualifications to practice as architects yet.
Various career options are:
- Construction planning
- Design
- Maintenance and operation
Education and training
Education and training prepare students for jobs in education services and related learning support with an emphasis on improving the public education system. Both small enterprises and multinational corporations may have openings for recent graduates. These lessons might serve as a student’s groundwork for pursuing a profession in education.
Various career options are:
- Administration and administrative support
- Professional support services
- Teaching/training
Finance
In this track, students develop a solid understanding of cash, revenue, profit margins, and expenses. It’s perfect for someone who wants to work in finance, whether in an accounting business or in accounts receivable for an organization.
Students learn how to manage extensive bookkeeping, accounting, and other tasks on this route. The type of career students want to pursue may require them to get additional degrees or certifications.
Career options include:
- Accounting
- Banking services
- Business Finance
- Insurance
- Securities and investment
Both public administration and government
Planning and carrying out governmental tasks at the municipal, state, and federal levels are the main objectives of this occupational cluster. Students typically study local governments and learn about taxes, parks, budgeting, and councils.
Various career options are:
- Foreign service
- Governance
- National security
- Planning
- Public management and administration
- Regulation
- Revenue and taxation
Medical science
One job path in CTE is health science, which focuses on organizing, supervising, and delivering therapeutic treatments among other things. In the realm of health and wellness, students can train for a wide range of careers, including those as nurses and patient care technicians.
The following are some possible career paths:
- Biotechnology research and development
- Diagnostic services
- Health informatics
- Support services
- Therapeutic services
Hospitality and tourism
Students gain hands-on experience with hotel management and the underlying business and industry principles. They learn how to run establishments including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and tourist attractions through the CTE program.
Various career options are:
- Lodging
- Recreation, amusements, and attractions
- Restaurant and food/beverage services
- Travel and tourism
Human services
Human resources Social work, social assistance, and drug rehabilitation are all part of CTE. Students in the human services track typically have a love for helping others emotionally, which distinguishes it from the health science route.
Various career options are:
- Consumer services
- Counseling and mental health services
- Early childhood development and services
- Family and community services
- Personal care services
Technology-related information (IT)
Students who choose to pursue this route learn about the planning, creation, implementation, management, and support of information systems. They get all the knowledge necessary to put businesses online, including network configuration and equipment upkeep. IT graduates who combine CTE with on-the-job training may go from entry-level employment to a chief information officer position.
Various career options are:
- Information support and services
- Interactive media
- Network systems
- Programming and software development
Law, security, and the general public
The emergency services and any legally related professions are the main focus of the law CTE course. Students who desire to pursue a career in criminal justice, especially law enforcement, should choose this program.
Students who pursue careers in CTE have the opportunity to work in secretarial and other legal fields. Regardless of whether they decide to continue their study, it’s a terrific place to start for individuals who want to get further involved in the legal field.
Various career options are:
- Correction services
- Emergency and fire management services
- Law enforcement services
- Legal services
- Security and protective services
Distribution, logistics, and transportation
This occupational group is concerned with transporting and monitoring inventory. Students who choose this program will be well-prepared for occupations that include organizing, managing, and moving people, materials, and goods by pipeline, air, rail, and water.
Jobs in infrastructure, planning, and administration of transportation, facility upkeep, logistical services, and mobile equipment are also included under the headings of logistics, distribution, and transportation.
Various career options are:
- Facility and mobile equipment maintenance
- Health, safety and environmental management
- Logistics planning and management services
- Sales and service
- Transportation operations
- Transportation systems/infrastructure planning, management, and regulation
- Warehousing and distribution center operations
Manufacturing
The manufacturing track covers all of the methods, supplies, and guidelines typically used in mass production. Students are prepared for occupations in which they must organize, direct, and carry out the conversion of raw resources into intermediate or finished goods.
Various career options are:
- Health, safety, and environmental assurance
- Logistics and inventory control
- Maintenance, installation, and repair
- Manufacturing production process development
- Production
- Quality assurance
Service, sales, and marketing
The concepts of client acquisition and retention are the main emphasis of the marketing, sales, and service program. This CTE program helps students combine their skills to provide consumers with a satisfying and successful experience by preparing them for the fundamentals of marketing, sales, and customer service.
Various career options are:
- Marketing communications
- Marketing management
- Marketing research
- Merchandising
- Professional sales
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
By teaching processes in technology, science, and math, this cluster prepares students for jobs as technicians and engineers. Graduates of CTE STEM programs have career options in engineering, computer applications, and equipment, particularly if they also pursue additional degrees.
Various career options are:
- Engineering and technology
- Science and Mathematics