Career Clusters
Encyclopedia
Career Clusters provide students with a context for studying traditional academics and learning the skills specific to a career, and provide U.S. schools with a structure for organizing or restructuring curriculum offerings and focusing class make-up by a common theme such as interest.
In the U.S. Department of Education
model, 16 Career Clusters link to 70+ more specific Career Pathways – each have their own knowledge and skills requirements. Within the 70+ career pathways, 1800 Career Specialties are defined. The structure has evolved over time and may vary by state. The U.S. DOE Career Clusters framework is useful for connecting students with courses of study and careers via Career Assessments
, and allows them to learn general, more transferable skills at the cluster level, with more specific skills and knowledge acquired at the career pathways and speciality levels. The nonprofit Vocational Research Institute adapted an interest and aptitude
assessment, Careerscope
, to help students choose curriculum and careers for which they have both interest and aptitude - at the cluster, pathway and career specialty levels. A concept related to Career Clusters, Small Learning Community
is primarily concerned with restructuring secondary schools, in many cases using a career clusters framework.
The creation of curricular models within the context of broad career clusters ensures the alignment of academic and technical instructional strategies with the requirements of postsecondary education and the expectations of employers in increasingly academic and technologically demanding careers. The vocational education field has historically responded to the needs of the national economy by preparing individuals to enter jobs in demand.
In the U.S. Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
model, 16 Career Clusters link to 70+ more specific Career Pathways – each have their own knowledge and skills requirements. Within the 70+ career pathways, 1800 Career Specialties are defined. The structure has evolved over time and may vary by state. The U.S. DOE Career Clusters framework is useful for connecting students with courses of study and careers via Career Assessments
Career Assessments
Career assessments are tools that are designed to help individuals understand how a variety of personal attributes , impact their potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments...
, and allows them to learn general, more transferable skills at the cluster level, with more specific skills and knowledge acquired at the career pathways and speciality levels. The nonprofit Vocational Research Institute adapted an interest and aptitude
Aptitude
An aptitude is an innate component of a competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental...
assessment, Careerscope
Careerscope
CareerScope is a standardized and timed interest and aptitude assessment for career guidance. The system is widely used in schools, job training programs and in rehabilitation agencies and has been validated against widely recognized criteria. CareerScope delivers an objective assessment that is...
, to help students choose curriculum and careers for which they have both interest and aptitude - at the cluster, pathway and career specialty levels. A concept related to Career Clusters, Small Learning Community
Small Learning Community
A Small Learning Community , also referred to as a School-Within-A-School, is a form of school structure that is increasingly common in secondary schools to subdivide large school populations into smaller, autonomous groups of students and teachers....
is primarily concerned with restructuring secondary schools, in many cases using a career clusters framework.
Background
The Career Cluster initiative began in 1996 in the U.S. as the Building Linkages Initiative and was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), the National School-to-Work Office (NSTWO) and the National Skill Standards Board (NSSB). The purpose of the Initiative was to establish linkages among State educational agencies, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, employers, industry groups, other stakeholders and Federal agencies. The goal was to create curricular frameworks in broad career clusters, designed to prepare students to transition successfully from high school to postsecondary education and employment in a career area.The creation of curricular models within the context of broad career clusters ensures the alignment of academic and technical instructional strategies with the requirements of postsecondary education and the expectations of employers in increasingly academic and technologically demanding careers. The vocational education field has historically responded to the needs of the national economy by preparing individuals to enter jobs in demand.
See also
- The Academy of Irving ISDThe Academy of Irving ISDJack E. Singley Academy is a career-oriented public high school in Irving, Texas, United States. The school is a part of the Irving Independent School District. The Academy grants admission to students through a non-merit based selection process, which requires applying to the school during the...
- Career DevelopmentCareer developmentIn organizational development , the study of career development looks at:*how individuals manage their careers within and between organizations and,...
- Career AssessmentsCareer AssessmentsCareer assessments are tools that are designed to help individuals understand how a variety of personal attributes , impact their potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments...
- CareerscopeCareerscopeCareerScope is a standardized and timed interest and aptitude assessment for career guidance. The system is widely used in schools, job training programs and in rehabilitation agencies and has been validated against widely recognized criteria. CareerScope delivers an objective assessment that is...
Assessment for Career Clusters
External links
- States' Directors Career Clusters
- Background and Structure of Career Clusters
- AchieveTexas: Texas Career Clusters Initiative
- Look up Career Clusters and Pathways to see Education Requirements and Wages
- Career Voyager Videos by Career Cluster
- U.S. Department of Education SLC Program
- Career Academy Support Network