Career and technical education (CTE) programs, along with their teachers, administrators, and other education professionals, play a key role in equipping students with the skills and knowledge for career success. With a strong connection to economic recovery, CTE is receiving increased attention because the current demand for skilled workers is exceptionally high and continues to increase.
The growing popularity of CTE has coincided with a national shortage of qualified CTE professionals and a lack of CTE educator training offered in universities. While teachers have been in the media spotlight because of widespread teacher shortages, the success of CTE programs hinges on a wide range of education professionals.
- CTE teachers assist learners in exploring career paths and developing skills to enhance their future.
- CTE administrators play a key leadership role and serve the ever-changing needs of learners, parents, teachers, industry, and the community.
- CTE data professionals collect, analyze, and report CTE data to fulfill state and federal accountability requirements for enrollment, placement, planning, and allocation of funds to support CTE programs.
- CTE work-based learning coordinators create relationships and work-based learning experiences that effectively and efficiently assist students to develop the skills needed to move into the world of work.
Whether managing large industrial equipment in an instructional environment or engaging with local businesses and industry advisors, CTE professionals require a unique set of pedagogical skills and background knowledge. NOCTI’s new Education Professional Certifications can help CTE teachers, administrators, data professionals, and work-based learning coordinators certify they have the necessary skills and knowledge to help students in their programs succeed.
Education Professional Certifications
While some CTE professionals come to the field through a traditional route, many individuals transition into a CTE role after successful careers in other industries. Administrators may have little to no CTE experience, and other professionals such as those working with data or work-based learning programs may simply be new to the CTE environment.
NOCTI has developed eight credentials for CTE teachers, administrators, data professionals, and work-based learning coordinators. Level one credentials are targeted to those with two or less years of experience while level two is appropriate for professionals with two or more years of CTE-related experience. These credentials can be used in multiple ways to help equip CTE professionals with relevant skills including:
- Incorporated as part of state-level licensing processes
- Integrated as a pre-employment tool at the local level
- Incorporated into employee onboarding processes
- Included in professional development plans
Just like credentials designed for secondary and postsecondary students, these professional certifications are based on standards and competencies defined by national panels of CTE experts that are needed to become a successful CTE professional. The industry benchmark was established by a national panel of career and technical education (CTE) experts.
A completed credential is tangible proof of knowledge and signifies that the individual who earned the credential has industry-relevant skills.
Four Credential Areas
| CTE Professional | Level 1 | Level 2 |
| CTE Teachers | Student Management Lab Management Safety Instructional Planning Instructional Delivery Student Assessment |
Student Organization Management Managing Work-Based Learning Employer Relationships Specialized Teaching Strategies Instruction Improvement |
| CTE Administrators | Curriculum Personnel Relationships Fiscal Management CTE Foundations CTE Facility |
Programming Planning and Development CTE Leadership Student Engagement Budgeting Credentialing |
| CTE Data Professionals | Data Sourcing Data Analysis Data Uses Data Quality Data Protection |
Data Consistency Data Governance Data Leveraging Data Relevance Data System Alignment |
| CTE Work-Based Learning | Work-Based Learning Foundations Work-Based Learning Alignment Program Planning Career Development & Planning Program Start-Up |
Community & School Coordination Program Coordination Program Evaluation Program Enhancement Program Specialization |
Continued Commitment to CTE
With more than 55 years of experience in CTE, NOCTI delivers solutions for increasing students’ technical competence and certifying new and incumbent workers in the private sector. Because the demand for skilled workers continues to grow, NOCTI is continuously expanding its services to support teachers, administrators, and other CTE professionals.
Available Education Professional titles can be found in NOCTI’s blueprint index. Principles of CTE Teaching — Level 1 and Principles of Working with CTE Data — Level 1 are now available. Four additional titles are currently in pilot testing and two titles are in the development phase and will be ready for piloting soon. Contact us to learn about opportunities for pilot test takers to earn certification based on a no-cost, remotely proctored pilot test assessment administration.