Career & Technical Education

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About CTE

What is Career and Technical Education?

CTE provides students with the academic knowledge and technical skills they need to gain entry to high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand industries. CTE provides work-based learning experiences that combine hands-on learning with real-world scenarios so students are prepared to enter the workforce or college after they graduate high school.

Courses

Career and Technical Education courses are dynamic and engaging, giving students a platform to find their passion and make a career of it. With options for earning college credit, industry credentials, and postsecondary awards (like Industry-Based Certifications (IBC) and associate degrees).

There are CTE national career clusters which guide students through a planned program of study. Admission to these courses is based on a student’s interest and aptitude, as well as availability.

Instructors

Instructors are a highlight of CTE —they are talented individuals who are experts in their area of study. Many CTE instructors continue to work in their industry and field while they teach, giving them the distinct advantage of staying up-to-date on trends and best practices.

Student Benefits

CTE helps all students prepare for college, career and life. Student learning is focused and experience-based, so when they graduate from Austin ISD, they are skilled, knowledgeable and ready to succeed.

View CTE opportunities at Austin ISD schools

Subject to Availability

The Austin Independent School District offers career and technical education sequences of coursework based on the sixteen federally defined Career Clusters. Admission to these courses is based on interest and aptitude, age appropriateness, and class space availability. It is the policy of the Austin Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicap in its vocational programs, services or activities as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

find your career path

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About CTE Career Clusters

Career and Technical Education offers recommended sequences of courses based on student interests, goals and aptitudes which align to the national career clusters that guide students through a planned program of study. Students work with their high school counselor to develop an individualized four-year plan that outlines the program of study through which the student can earn an endorsement upon graduation. The endorsement recognizes a student’s concentrated study in a pathway that progresses from foundational knowledge in introductory courses to advanced level study and experiences.

The career clusters at Austin ISD align with state and federal standards.