OVERVIEW

Our mission:
Career and Technical Education (CTE) creates Pathways to success for every secondary student by providing him or her with the technical skills and academic knowledge needed to prepare for future employment and/or a successful transition to post-secondary education.

CTE provides students with technical training to prepare for a successful career. The structured training each student receives gives him or her the tools needed to be successful in a career after high school and/or further his or her post-secondary education, whether technical school, two-year college, or four-year college. Each student is encouraged to explore various Areas of Study and to develop the essential skills to enter today’s competitive job market with confidence.

Career and Technical Education is an essential component of the total educational system in Utah and is critical to the country’s ability to compete in a global economy. Career and Technical Education is provided in a variety of settings and levels, including middle school/junior high career exploration, secondary programs, post-secondary certificates and degrees, and customized training for employees in the workplace.

AREAS OF STUDY
CTE provides courses and pathways consistent with industry standards. Exploratory courses begin in the seventh grade, and subsequent courses teach students specific job readiness and job skills, which can lead to employment and post-secondary education.

• Agricultural Education
• Business Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Health Science Education
• Information Technology Education
• Marketing Education
• Skilled and Technical Sciences Education
• Technology and Engineering Education

Our vision is to see that every student has the opportunity to explore a variety of career areas throughout high school that will equip him or her with the academic knowledge, technical and employment skills vital for entry into the evolving workforce of the 21st century.

THE ROLE OF SECONDARY CTE

• Provide Career and Technical Education in the state’s K-12
  system of public education.
• Introduce students to career options.
• Assist in development of career goals.
• Provide technical skills.
• Provide occupation-specific skills.
• Prepare students for further education and training.

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

• Provided in 41 public school districts
• Provided in 142 public middle/jr. high schools
• Provided in 116 public high schools
• Provided in all secondary charter schools
• Over 141,600 students participate in CTE training in grades 9-12

CTE INTRODUCTION
Utah’s CTE Introduction program provides junior high students with the direction, decision making, and planning needed in order to select their career path.

• Self-knowledge
• Education and occupation exploration
• Career planning

COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE PROGRAM
Utah’s Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program assists students and their parents in the development of a Student Education Occupation Plan (SEOP). The program enables students to:

• Explore career possibilities.
• Expand their opportunities and set personal education and career goals.

SKILL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
CTE provides skill certificates in courses and programs in grades 9-12. The Skill Certificate exams verify skill attainment and, where available, industry exams are offered. This accountability system assures that all courses and programs in the state are consistently teaching to the standards established by experts in that occupational area.

WORK-BASED LEARNING
Utah’s Work-Based Learning program narrows the gap between theory and practice. Students have opportunities to see how classroom instruction connects to the world of work and future career opportunities through these activities.

• Internships/apprenticeships
• Job shadowing
• Career fairs/guest speakers
• Field studies
• Clinical work experiences

Updated April 13, 2011