A Vision for the Future: Oklahoma’s Career Clusters Design

1. A Vision for the Future: Oklahoma’s Career Clusters Design November 2010

2. Objectives • Explain why career clusters are important to students. • Explain use of Oklahoma Department of Career Tech Instructional Framework. • Incorporate reasons for changes to the career clusters frame into articulation agreements. • Use the Health Science Cluster Framework when developing articulation agreements.

3. Purpose • Our challenge • Our solution • When?

4. Why? • Our economy is changing to: • Technology-driven • Knowledge-based • Global • Increased employer demands

5. Why? • Supports 6 Major Initiatives • Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development • The Alliance Initiative • The new Carl Perkins Legislation • No Child Left Behind • Achieving Classroom Excellence • EDGE (Economic Development Generating Excellence)

6. VocationalEducation Technical skills Trained for a few jobs In lieu of academics/college Program-focused Entry-level preparation CTE Technical skills and academics For many careers Aligns with and supports academics 16 clusters, 85 pathways Industry-focused to create pathways for career advancement Traditional Career Clusters Approach Approach

7. Our Solution • A model that: • Fits our mission to help Oklahomans succeed in the workplace, education and life • Prepares students for a broad range of career options: • Employment • Technical and postsecondary education • Lifelong learning • Increases our ability to meet industry expectations

8. Our Solution • Adopts the national career clusters framework consisting of 16 clusters and defined pathways • Adds components unique to Oklahoma • Career majors (332) • Courses (over 1500 unduplicated) • Allows us to become industry-focused, student-centered, and performance-driven

9. Our Solution • A new instructional framework • Extensive professional development • Revised core business processes

10. New Instructional Framework • Realigning existing programs to a sequence of courses (career majors) based on industry-identified: • Knowledge • Skills • Credentials

11. Programs to Courses Using the Career Clusters Model

12. Instructional Framework Cluster Health Science Pathway Therapeutic Services Career Major Dental Assistant Course Dental Office Procedures Knowledge & Skills Practice General Office Procedures

13. Cluster A career cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities. A career cluster represents the knowledge and skills, both academic and technical, that all students within the cluster should achieve regardless of their pathway. Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

14. Sixteen Career Clusters • The Career Clusters icons are being used with permission of the States’ Career Clusters Initiative, 2007.

15. Health Science Cluster

16. Health Science Cluster

17. Cluster A pathway is a more narrow grouping of occupations and broad industries within a career cluster. The pathway represents the knowledge and skills, both academic and technical, necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within a pathway - ranging from entry level to management, including technical and professional career specialties. Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

18. Pathways Cluster Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

19. Cluster A career major is a model sequence of courses or field of study that prepares a student for a career and ensures that: Integration occurs between academic and occupational learning; Transitions are established between secondary schools and postsecondary institutions; Students are prepared for employment in a broad career cluster; and Students receive a skill credential. Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

20. Emergency Medical Technician- Paramedic - Career Major Cluster Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

21. Cluster A course is an instructional unit that includes a set of defined competencies, a syllabus or course outline, and a measure of accountability, evaluation, or assessment. A course may be occupational, exploratory, academic, foundational, or competency development. Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

22. Cluster Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills Paramedic Assessment Based Management - Course

23. Cluster Knowledge and Skills are specific work tasks performed on the job. They are large enough tasks to be valued in and of themselves, and they are measurable and observable. Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

24. Paramedic Assessment Based Management Knowledge & Skills Cluster Pathway Career Major Course Knowledge & Skills

25. Revising Core Business Processes • CareerTech Information System (CTIS) • Programs to courses transition • Accreditation and evaluation standards • Financial aid requirements • Performance measures • Career major approval process • CareerTech rules • Funding structure

26. Revising Core Business Processes • Professional Development • Communication and Marketing • Carl Perkins IV

27. When Did This Happen? • Summer Conference Dedicated to Communications and Professional Development Regarding Career Clusters and CTIS: August 2007 • Communications, Professional Development and Technical Assistance: Ongoing • Schools develop their instructional frameworks: March 2007 – January 2008 & have been using since

28. Helpful Websites Oklahoma’s Career Cluster Website www.okcareertech.org/okcareerclusters

29. Questions?