Since the 1960s, career cluster resources have been used as tools for research and career planning in schools, learning communities and organizations across the country. Career Clusters is a system that fits educational and career planning.
Step 1: Determine Career Cluster Interests
Career clusters are groups of similar professions and industries. When teachers, counselors, and parents work with adolescents, college students, and adults, the first step is to complete the career cluster assessment. The score determines the highest areas of the career cluster. Career ratings show teens, college students, and adult ratings from one of the following 16 areas of interest or clusters:
1. Agriculture, food and natural resources
2. Architecture and construction
3. Art, audio / video equipment and communication
4. Business, management and administration
5. Education and training
6. Finance
7. State and public administration
8. Health science
9. Hospitality and tourism
10. Human services
11. Information technology
12. Law, public safety
13. Production
14. Marketing, sales and service
15. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
16. Transport, distribution and logistics
Step 2: Exploring Career Clusters and Associated Careers
After identifying the highest career clusters, teens, college students, and adults explore different careers and create education plans. Career cluster tools used in career and educational planning include:
- LISA: complete career cluster database
- models
- Brochures
- Preparation
- High School Curriculum
- Fields of interest and skills
- crosswalks
After completing a career cluster assessment, teens, college students, and adults watch websites, career models, brochures, routes, and high school plans. One of the most unique cluster resources for comprehensive care is the LSIA Comprehensive Skills Assessment (LISA), an online program. LISA allows you to explore clusters, guardians, abilities, learning requirements and more. There are 3 stages in the LISA program:
STEP 1: Click here to select Career Cluster
STEP 2: Click here to select Career group
STEP 3: Learn the lessons in this career group.
In step 1, when you select a career cluster, you will see a description of the cluster. When you select a career group in step 2, you see different careers. Finally, in step 3 you see a lot of information:
- Vacancy description
- Learning and Training Requirements
- Intersections, for example, ONET, DOT, GOE and other codes
- abilities
- Knowledge
- Skills
- Tasks
- Working values
- Labor Market Information
Despite the fact that LISA is an amazing program, in the classroom or workshop settings you need printed materials. When using printed materials, a career model is the best place to start. Models provide excellent reviews that list cluster definitions, career patterns, paths, knowledge and skills. Visual models show career clusters, cluster subgroups and related careers. Models are a great way to introduce career clusters.
For presentations, workshops, and group discussions, cluster leaflets provide additional information. Adults and teenagers read about the different careers that are available in each career cluster. Teachers, counselors and parents use brochures to strengthen adults and adolescents; potential career or educational decisions. The brochures cover topics such as:
- Identifying career clusters
- Career
- career paths
- Employment prospects
- Skills
- authority
Teachers, counselors and parents use career paths for more detailed information. Career paths are subgroups or areas of concentration in career clusters. Each path contains career groups. Career groups have similar academic skills, technical skills, educational requirements and training requirements. Career paths are research plans that outline additional courses, post-secondary courses, and associated careers. Career paths are important tools that teachers, counselors, parents, and other adults use to provide educational planning advice.
Several websites have secondary school curricula. These curricula show the required, elective and recommended courses for each level. School plans also correspond to career clusters related to career, career paths and additional options. Teachers, counselors and parents believe that these school plans are guidelines for choosing the right high school courses to fit potential caregivers. In addition to high school, the Utah state system for higher education has created a college guide. Parents, teachers, and counselors can use the guide to match college certification programs and degrees.
Additional resources for consultants and teachers
For curriculum planning and educational programs there are detailed knowledge and skills diagrams and cluster transitions. Knowledge and skills extend to the information provided on career cluster models. For each area of knowledge and skills there are elements of effectiveness and criteria for measurement. Transitions show the relationship between career clusters and other career models:
Career clusters create a bridge between education and career planning. Various types of career cluster resources are available: videos, websites, booklets, brochures, activity sheets and books. Teachers, counselors, and parents use career cluster resources to successfully complete career and educational planning.
Resources:
Career in an American career, career, 6701 W. 64th St., Overland, KS 66202, 800-669-7795
Career Click, Illinois Department of Employment Security, 33 South State Street, Chicago, IL 60603, (312) 793-5700
Career Cluster CIP Code Index, Department of Adult and Honor Education CTE, Career and Technical Education Bureau, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126, (717) 772-0814
Cluster and Career Videos, Career One Stop, US Department of Labor, Francis Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210, 866-4-USA-DOL
Image Core Guide Utah System for Higher Education, Regents Building, Gateway, 60 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1284, (801) 321-7100
Find Careers (video), iSeek Solutions, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Wells Fargo Place, 30 7th St. E., Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55101-7804
High School Curricula, New Hampshire Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-3860, (603) 271-3494
Introduction to Career Clusters, Career Education, Glencoe / McGraw-Hill, PO Box 543
Blacklick, OH 43004-0544,
Louisiana (LISA), Individual Online Version of OSCAR, Resource Product of the Texas Workforce Development Commission, TWC / CDR, Austin, TX 78753
Maryland Career Clusters, Maryland State Department of Education 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201,
Rhodes Island Career Clusters, Rhode Island Career Resources Network, 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920, 401-462-8790
School in Career Clusters, Connecticut, Department of Labor, Labor Bank, 645 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457, (860) 754-5000
States and # 39; Career Cluster Initiative (SCCI), 1500 W. Seventh Avenue, Stillwater, OK 74074
Career plans, careers, knowledge and skills
VTECS Cluster Frameworks, VTECS, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA, 30033, 404-679-4501, ext 543
What are career clusters? Career System, Career Resource Network in New Mexico, CAREER EDUCATIONAL OFFICE OF TECHNICAL AND LABOR EDUCATION (CTWEB), Education, 300 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 827-6512
