Blueprints

A valuable preparation tool, Blueprints contain competency lists, percentage breakdowns, sample questions, and skill-based job examples. Teachers and students use Blueprints to identify the skills and knowledge needed in a particular career path and to focus studying on areas needing improvement. Use the index below to search for Blueprints alphabetically, by credential category, or by career cluster.

Unless stated otherwise in the Assessment Blueprint, all assessments must be administered in a proctored environment. Proctoring instructions are available in the Client Services Center for NOCTI testing sites.

NOCTI & Partner Certification Blueprint Index

NOCTI respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask you to do the same. All NOCTI Blueprints, including those of its partners, are copyrighted materials and are intended for personal or educational classroom usage. No part of any blueprint content, including NOCTI competencies, may be reproduced in any form, incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, or used to prepare derivative works, or materials being sold for profit without NOCTI’s official consent.

Note: The CIP Codes indicated on each blueprint are examples of the types of occupations for which the credential may be applicable. Other CIP Codes likely align and NOCTI encourages a crosswalk of standards and competencies to your program content.

Title

Credential Categories

Job Ready

Measure the skills of those completing a technical training program. Consist of both knowledge-based and skill-based components which can be administered together or independently. Ideal for programs that are two-to-three-years in length with a comprehensive focus on occupational skills.

Foundational Concepts

Measure an individual’s understanding of a set of core skills and key concepts within a career field. Ideal for programs that are one-to-two-years in length and can be used across multiple occupational areas.

Employability Skills

Measure the skills representing critical knowledge, sometimes referred to as “soft skills” needed for success in the workplace. Appropriate for all student populations including middle grades through postsecondary.

Partner Network

NOCTI partners with several professional associations offering a variety of credentials for learners of any level.

Teacher

Offered in over 50 technical areas for administration at state-designated authorized Area Test Centers across the nation. States utilize these assessments to measure occupational specific knowledge of teacher candidates and as part of state licensing requirements.

Education Professional

CTE professionals are in an educational class by themselves and need a different set of pedagogical skills and background knowledge. These differences require a specialized credential to confirm baseline and advanced expectations for new CTE teachers, CTE administrators, professionals working with CTE data, and work-based learning coordinators.

College Credit Recommendations

Most NOCTI credentials offer college credit recommendations. Experienced industry experts and professors working with the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), have evaluated the rigor of NOCTI credentials to translate the content into college credit equivalencies. College credit equivalents for NOCTI’s credentials may be found on the NCCRS website.

NOCTI/NBS Certification

Learners can demonstrate their readiness for the workforce by earning NOCTI/NBS Certification—an independent, industry-driven credential that verifies essential knowledge and skills. Certification is awarded to individuals who meet or exceed the industry-established benchmark on a current NOCTI/NBS assessment, signaling verified skills to educators, employers, and workforce partners.