
PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS
Virginia's 16 Career Clusters
To view individual Web pages for each of the 16 career clusters, use the menu to the right .
Career Clusters help students investigate careers and design their courses of study to advance their career goals. For this reason, Virginia has adopted the nationally accepted structure of career clusters, career pathways and sample career specialties or occupations.
A Career Cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities. Within each career cluster, there are multiple career pathways that represent a common set of skills and knowledge, both academic and technical, necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within that pathway – ranging from entry level to management, including technical and professional career specialties. Based on the skills sets taught, all CTE courses are aligned with one or more career clusters and career pathways.
Overview
Career Clusters Academic and Career Plans of Study; Virginia’s Best Practices-This is a PowerPoint document. (PPT)
This PowerPoint presentation describes the integration of career clusters into the career exploration and preparation process in Virginia (updated December 2012). NOTE: this is a large file that will take time to download.
Developing Academic and Career Plans of Study
The sample Plans of Study listing is a resource to assist CTE administrators and school counselors in developing student academic and career plans of study for each pathway within a career cluster. The sample plans of study template meets all the state and federal requirements.
Resources
![]() |
Virginia Education Wizard![]() |
![]() |
Career Planning Guide![]() a searchable online resource to help students determine the most effective CTE courses of study based on a student's career goals. |
![]() ![]()
|
|
![]() ![]() |
You may also be interested in...
CTE Performance Trends – see CTE Statistics & Reports
Outside Resources
National Career Clusters Framework
In cooperation with the National Career Technical Education Foundation (NCTEF), the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) provides leadership and support for the National Career Clusters Framework to deliver high-quality CTE programs through improved curriculum design and instruction. The National Career Clusters Framework is comprised of 16 Career Clusters and related Career Pathways to help students explore different career options and better prepare for college and career. The Career Clusters and related Career Pathways serve as an organizing tool for Virginia’s schools and academies to develop more effective programs of study and curriculum. This site includes a listing of the 16 career clusters and 79 pathways.