Career Clusters in Virginia An Update Anne Rowe Virginia Department of Education August, 2012

1. Career Clusters in Virginia An Update Anne Rowe Virginia Department of Education August, 2012

2. SessionTopics National and State Update on Career Clusters Marketing the CTE Brand Virginia’s Best Practices Sample National and State Videos

3. Why are we here?

4. Research tells us the process of moving between institutions – the transition itself – is at the root of the academic distress of ninth grade.

5. Career Clusters The nationally accepted 16 career clusters help students investigate careers and design their plan of study to advance their career goals.

6. The CTE brand logo, brand positioning theme and brand extensions are theproperty of NASDCTEc. Career Clusters http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/career_clusters/index.shtml

7. Career Clusters (Con’t.) http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/career_clusters/index.shtml The CTE brand logo, brand positioning theme and brand extensions are the property of NASDCTEc.

8. What are Career Clusters? Career Clusters are groupings of occupations and industries that are used for: • Organizing curriculum design, and • Career counseling and guidance.

9. What Career Clusters DO • Provide a framework to integrate programs • Provide a framework for seamless education • Provide MORE career options for learners • Provide knowledge and skills transfer vertically and horizontally • Provide support for student high academic achievement

10. What Career Clusters DO • Provide alignment of academic and technical skills with workplace readiness skills • Provide opportunities to involve parents, business and industry, and the school community • Provide the development of effective plans of study that are based on career assessments

11. Knowledge & Skills (K & S) The foundational principle of career clusters/ pathways is that a set of knowledge and skills are shared with other occupations in a pathway and other pathways in a cluster: • Cluster Level – academic and technical skills and knowledge for all pathways within a cluster • Pathway Level – academic and technical skills and knowledge within each pathway • Career Specialties - full range of career opportunities within each pathway The cluster level knowledge and skills are correlated with Workplace Readiness Skills for the Commonwealth.

12. Adult Education Entry and Exit Points 16+ Accounting Pathway K & S Securities and Investments Pathway K & S Finance Plans of Study 16 Specific Skill Preparation May Continue 15 14 Grade Banking Services Pathway K & S Business Finance Pathway K & S Insurance Pathway K & S 13 12 11 10 Cluster Knowledge and Skills 9 Courtesy of Benson Consulting – July 2007

13. 2012 National Initiatives Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) is coordinating the CCTC initiative. The CCTC includes a set of standards for each of the 16 Career ClustersTM and their corresponding career pathways. The CCTC was developed to align with other college- and career-ready standards efforts, such as the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics. http://www.careertech.org/career-technical-education/cctc/

14. Virginia’s Approach to CCTC Virginia did not adopt the Common Core State Standards, thus Virginia will not adopt the CCTC. Virginia will continue to provide state competencies by course. Virginia will crosswalk the national Career Ready Practices (CRP) that apply to all programs of study with our Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills.

15. Career Ready Practices The CCTC also includes an overarching set of Career Ready Practices (CRP) that apply to all career cluster programs/plans of study. The CRP component of the CCTC provides a framework for the developmental experiences necessary to becoming career ready. The 12 CPR practices have been aligned with Virginia’s Workplace Readiness Skills.

16. Career Cluster Programs/Plans of Study The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 provides for career cluster/pathway programs of study to expand connections between secondary and postsecondary education through the development and implementation of “programs of study.” According to the Act, programs of study must:

17. Career Cluster Programs/Plans of Study, (Con’t.) • Incorporate secondary education and post- secondary education elements; • Include academic and career and technical content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses; and • Lead to an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level, or an associate or bachelor’s degree. • Programs of study “may” include the opportunity for secondary education students to participate in dual or concurrent enrollment programs or other ways to acquire postsecondary education credits.

18. Alignment of Perkins IV &Programs of Study What is a program/plan of study? • Can enhance secondary and post-secondary education collaboration • Includes academic and CTE content in a coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses • Mayinclude the opportunity for secondary students to acquire postsecondary credits

19. Alignment of Perkins IV &Programs of Study, (Con’t.) What is a program/plan of study? • Links (or leads) to high skill, high wage, and high demand occupations • Leads to an industry-recognized credential or certificate at the postsecondary level, or an associate or baccalaureate degree • Provides a way to transition from Vocational Education to Career and Technical Education

20. Dictionary • Are programs/plans of study different than career clusters and career pathways? • Career cluster – organizer of knowledge and skills needed by a broad industry • Career pathway– organizer of knowledge and skills statements shared by professions • Program of study– sequence of instruction that prepares individuals for careers

21. Career Clusters: VDOE CTE • All CTE courses are aligned with one or more career clusters and career pathways within those clusters based on the skills sets taught in the class. • VERSO is now organized by Career Clusters and Pathways. Career cluster and pathway alignments are listed in the Administrative Planning Guide, the Career Planning Guide, and Career and Technical Education Reporting System (CTERS) User’s Manual. http://cteresource.org/verso/ http://www.cteresource.org/apg/ www.cteresource.org/cpg/ http://www.doe.virginia.gov/data_collection/instruction/career_tech/cters/users_manual.pdf

22. Career Clusters and Pathways CTE Website—a New Look http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/career_clusters/index.shtml • Basic information on Virginia’s Career Clusters and Pathways Initiative • A comprehensive Clusters/Pathways/POS/ACP PowerPoint presentation • CTE: Learning that Works for America http://www.careertech.org/ • Sample Plans of Study • Resources

25. R UReady? Resources • Youth Appealing resource • Online and in print • Sophomores in High School • Plans for Life After High School • Educational Opportunities in HS • PDF Version on the CTE Home Page • Parent’s Guide • Teachers Guide

26. Virginia Education Wizardhttps://www.vawizard.org

27. Virginia Education Wizard Recent versions make it easy to: • Create and store academic and career plans • Import career pathways to students’ academic and career plans • Create ad hoc Wizard reports on students and ACP progress

28. Career Planning Research shows that students who put a career plan in place during their high school years are 47 percent more likely to complete postsecondary education. Remember: We are helping students plan FOR LIFE, not just for high school graduation!

29. Marketing the CTE Brand Focusing limited resources for greatest effect: The value of the brand Marketing resources State branding initiatives Note: The following slides are used with permission from NASDCTEc.

30. It is NOT a logo It is NOT a tag line It IS an implied promise—fulfilled It IS a connection It IS relevant and meaningful It IS a solution provided/offered It IS a “consumer experience” What Is A Brand?

31. Shaping the Message for CTE • The baggage of “vocational education” • Proactively shape the message for CTE now • Clarity and consistency in our message are critical • Connecting with the audience in ways that matter to them

33. Reflect, Transform, Lead:A New Vision for Career Technical Education Our vision's core principles 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.

34. Reflect, Transform, Lead:A New Vision for Career Technical Education Vision core principles, continued: • 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. • Provide a highly skilled, sustainable workforce;

35. The CTE Brand Promise Career Technical Education promises an unrelenting commitment to: • Continually improve the relevance and value of education; • Prepare students for success in both career and college, by employing Career Clusters™; • Provide a highly skilled, sustainable workforce; • Provide dynamic, innovative leadership; and

36. The CTE Brand Promise (Cont.) Career Technical Education promises an unrelenting commitment to: • Serve as a strategic partner with secondary and postsecondary educators as well as business and industry so the nation is globally competitive. • A USER AGREEMENT allows you to articulate your commitment to the brand.

37. CTE Brand Resources Use the CTE brand on materials—and be good brand stewards • Talking Points • Brochure • PowerPoint • Poster • FREE!! http://www.careertech.org/

38. CTE: Learning that works for America™ • “Learning” is preferable to “teaching” or “education” • “Works” conveys results, deliverables and outcomes • We all want America to “work” • Easily adaptable for state use • CTE works for schools, students, business & industry, economic development, global competitiveness, etc.

39. The Key Target Audiences for CTE Messaging • CTE story has wide appeal, but our efforts are focused on four key audiences: • Business and industry: The CUSTOMER for CTE • Policy makers: The FUNDING SOURCE for CTE • Affiliate & Advocacy Groups: The PARTNERS for CTE • Media: The MEGAPHONE for CTE • Focus on the “so what”

40. A pivotal moment for CTE • CTE must speak with one voice • CTE must connect with business and industry, policy makers, advocacy groups, media, and other influencers • CTE has the opportunity to step up and help America address key challenges • CTE has the responsibility to embrace this initiative—and become good stewards of the CTE brand • Each of us is the CTE brand in action.

41. August Video Streaming Training Session Announcements Session 4: August 16, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. • Implementing Career Clusters: A National Perspective • Virginia’s Best Practices Presenters: Kimberly Green, NASDCTEc Executive Director Sharon Acuff, Marketing and Related Clusters Specialist (VDOE)

42. Questions and Answers Anne Rowe Coordinator for Curriculum and Instruction Office of Career and Technical Education Virginia Department of Education P. O. Box 2120 Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120 804 225-2838 Anne.Rowe@doe.virginia.gov General Questions Regarding Career and Technical Education should be sent to: cte@doe.virginia.gov; 804-225-2051 CTE Web site: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/career_technical/ CTE Resource Center Web site: http://CTEresource.org Note: The National Association of State Directors for Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) provided slides and input to this presentation http://www.careertech.org/