Career Clusters and Pathways

Career Clusters are broad occupational groupings...an organizing tool defining education for post-secondary education and careers using 16 broad clusters of occupations and 79 pathways with validated standards that ensure opportunities for all students regardless of their career goals and interests.

Career Clusters are a tool for a seamless educational system that:

• blends rigorous academic/technical preparation
• provides career development
• offers options for students to experience all aspects of a business or industry
• facilitates/assists students and educators with ongoing transitions

Career Clusters

• provide a framework for continuing contemporary, high-quality programs
• provide a framework for seamless education
• provide more career options for students
• provide a framework for organizing and reorganizing the delivery of career and technical education and needed 21st Century Skills
• provide understanding of knowledge and skill transfer and verification of qualification

Career Cluster Framework

The cluster/pathway framework supports ongoing efforts to move from vocational education to career and technical education.

Cluster Core Level--Skills and knowledge all students need within the cluster

Pathway Level--Skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within a pathway

Career Specialties--Represents the full range of career opportunities within each path

Career Pathways

A career pathway is a coherent, articulated sequence of rigorous academic and career related courses, commencing in ninth grade and leading to an associate degree, and/or an industry-recognized certificate or licensure, and/or a baccalaureate and beyond. A career pathway...

• is developed, implemented and maintained in partnership among secondary and postsecondary education, business, and employers.
• is available to all students, including adult learners, and designed to lead to rewarding careers.
• Wisconsin Program of Study (POS) Implementation Component Guide

Career Specialties

• training for specific jobs or occupations
• knowledge and skill statements for this level would be created by industry standards and verified by business and industry representatives
• Represents the full range of career opportunities within each path

List of 16 Career Clusters

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
• Architecture and Construction
• Arts, Audio/Video Technology, and Communications
• Business Management and Administration
• Education and Training
• Finance
• Government and Public Administration
• Health Science
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Click here for a Listing of the Career Clusters and Pathways

Click here for Information on How to Implement Career Clusters and Pathways

Click here for a Summary of Cluster/Pathway Activity in the 2007-2008 School Year
Click here for a Summary of Cluster/Pathway Activity in the 2008-2009 School Year

Click here for the document "What will be the Impact of Programs of Study?" developed by the National Center for Career and Technical Education, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.

For national information on Career Clusters, please refer to their website at: www.careerclusters.org.

For questions about this information, contact Barbara A. Bitters (608) 266-9609

Last updated on 9/21/2009 10:06:19 AM