Taking the Mystery Out of Career Clusters
Dawn LindsleyCareer & Technical Education Coordinator
January 2012
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Discussion Topics
What are Career Clusters?
Why bother with Career Clusters?
What is important for me to know as an education professional?
NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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Brief History of Career Clusters
U.S. Department of Education National Association of State Directors of
Career Technical Education Consortium National Advisory Committees
– Business and Industry– Labor– Government– Education (secondary and postsecondary)
NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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What are Career Clusters?
Career Clusters are groupings of occupations and industries.
These groupings are used as an organizing tool for curriculum design.
Sixteen Career ClustersAgriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Finance
Architecture & Construction
Education & Training
Arts, AV Tech & Communications
Government & Public Administration
Business, Mgt & Admin.
Health Science
Hospitality & Tourism
Manufacturing
Human Services
Marketing Sales & Services
Information Technology
Science, Tech, Engineering & Mathematics
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Kansas State Department of Career & Technical Education
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NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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Career Clusters as a Tool
Provides for a seamless educational system that:– Blends rigorous academic/technical
preparation– Provides career planning– Offers options for students to discover
different aspects of an industry– Facilitates/assists students with
transitions
Office of Vocational & Adult Education, August 2010
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NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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What Career Clusters DON’T Do
Do not take away current programs
Do not take away occupational areas
Do not track learners into a single job
NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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What Career Clusters DO
Provide MORE career options for learnersProvide a framework for addressing the
entire world of workProvide a picture of how knowledge and
skills transfer vertically and horizontallyProvide a framework that current
programs fit intoProvide a framework for seamless
education
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Career Cluster Framework
Career Specialties/Occupations
Pathway
Career Cluster
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Why Bother with Career Clusters?
Short-term Reasons– Perkins IV $– Programs of Study
Long-term Reasons– Personal/Family Investment– Connecting Education & Employment– Workforce Development– Economic Development
NASDCTEc/NCTEF States' Career Clusters Initiative, copyright 2005
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What This Means
Career Clusters are a part of the future.
They are a win-win for learners, parents, educators, and businesses.
They are flexible.
They fit into any educational setting.
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Important to Know
Approved career cluster pathway programs of study include introductory, technical, and application level courses
Articulation agreements are already in existence
More emphasis is being placed on this framework
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Resources Manhattan High School
– http://www.usd383.org/Schools/Secondary/MHS/Academics/CareerClusters.aspx – http://manhattanhighplc.wikispaces.com/Dept.+Career+%26+Technical+Educatio
n+%28CTE%29
Kansas Career & Technical Education– http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=249
US Department of Education – Office of Vocational & Adult Education– http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/index.html
Perkins Collaborative Resource Network– http://cte.ed.gov/
National Initiative– http://www.careertech.org
National Research Center on Career & Technical Education– http://www.nrccte.org/
National Assessment of Career & Technical Education– http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/index.html
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Questions
Dawn LindsleyManhattan High School
Career & Technical Education Coordinator
2100 & 901 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502
(785) 587-2100 West Campus(785) 587-2150 East Campus
(785) 466-0147 Cell
[email protected] - [email protected] - Home