Career & Technical Education Resources

Career and technical education, commonly referred to as CTE, prepares students for both college and a career by teaching them the core academic, employability, and technical, job-specific skills they will need to pursue certifications, degrees, and high-wage careers in more than a dozen different areas. Rather than traditional education focused mostly on concepts and theory, CTE resources focus on relevant technical skills applicable to specific career pathways. CTE students gain invaluable hands-on experience and resources that enables them to better understand and prepare for high-demand, real-world jobs.

CTE resources are plentiful, if you know where to look. To help, DAC Worldwide has compiled a list of associations and organizations that can help provide additional information for the implementation of a CTE program in your high school.

Organizations that specialize in Career & Technical Education influence, information, and discussion

 

Associations and Organizations

  • ACTE: The American Career and Technical Education Association (ACTE) provides educational leadership in developing a competitive workforce and strives to empower educators to deliver high quality CTE resources and programs that ensure all students are positioned for career success. ACTE provides a strong collective voice for professionals representing all facets of CTE, as well as a rich array of professional development resources, events, and networking opportunities.
  • ATEA: The American Technical Education Association (ATEA) is an international association devoted to the purposes of postsecondary technical education with an emphasis on professional development and a driving force behind workforce development. ATEA recognizes outstanding performance and leadership and provides a network for career connectivity.
  • ITEEA: The International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) is the professional organization for technology, innovation, design, and engineering educators. ITEEA’s mission is to promote technological and engineering literacy for all by supporting the teaching of technology and engineering and promoting the professionalism of those engaged in these pursuits.
  • ASME: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society.
  • ATD: The Association for Talent Development (ATD) has members from more than 120 countries and work in organizations of all sizes and in all industry sectors by helping others achieve their full potential by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace.
  • ASCE: The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 150,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 177 countries. Through the expertise of its active membership, ASCE is a leading provider of technical and professional conferences and continuing education, the world’s largest publisher of civil engineering content, and an authoritative source for codes and standards that protect the public.
  • IBEW: The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents 775,000 active members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing, railroads and government. The IBEW has members in both the United States and Canada and stands out among the American unions in the AFL-CIO because it is among the largest and has members in so many skilled occupations.
  • AAACE: The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) is dedicated to the belief that lifelong learning contributes to human fulfillment and positive social change. We envision a more humane world made possible by the diverse practice of our members in helping adults acquire the knowledge, skills and values needed to lead productive and satisfying lives.
  • ACE: The American Council on Education (ACE) is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, our strength lies in our diverse membership of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad.
  • AACC: The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents nearly 1,200 2-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 12 million students.
    • NCATC: The National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers (NCATC) is an affiliated council of the AACC catalyzing a network of higher education and industry-led Strategic Partner resources that advocates, advises, and promotes the use of advanced technology applicants to enhance economic and workforce development programs and services.
    • NCWE: The National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) is committed to promoting excellence and growth in workforce education. As an affiliate council of the  AACC, NCWE provides a national forum for administrators and faculty in workforce education and basic skills, as well as representatives of business, labor, military, and government, to affect and direct the future role of two-year and other post-secondary institutions in workforce education and economic development.
  • ASEE: The American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) advances innovation, excellence, and access at all levels of education for the engineering profession. ASEE recognizes the term “engineering education” to encompass the full academic spectrum of instruction, research, scholarship, practice, and service. ASEE also has an enduring commitment to continuous improvement.
  • SkillsUSA: SkillsUSA is a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel.

Government organizations that supply information and funding of federal Career & Technical Education Programs

Government Websites

  • U.S. Department of Education: The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
  • U.S. Department of Labor: The Department of Labor’s mission is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
  • Grants.gov: The Grants.gov program management office was chartered to deliver a system that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. Today, the Grants.gov system houses information on over 1,000 grant programs and vets grant applications for federal grant-making agencies.

Organizations specializing in certifying the workforce with advanced manufacturing skills

Certification Organizations

  • MSSC: The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC), a 501(c)3 non-profit, is an industry-led, training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s front-line production and material handling technicians.
    • Certified Production Technician Certification (CPT): The purpose of the Certified Production Technician (CPT) certification program is to recognize through certification, individuals who demonstrate mastery of the core competencies of advanced manufacturing production at the front-line (entry-level to front-line supervisor) through successful completion of the certification assessments. The goal of the CPT certification program is to raise the level of performance of production technicians both to assist the individuals in finding higher-wage jobs and to help employers ensure their workforce increases the company’s productivity and competitiveness.
    • Certified Production Technician Certification + Skill Boss (CPT+): Built upon MSSC’s well-established Certified Production Technician (CPT), the CPT+ Skill Boss program is designed to prepare certificants with the next generation skills to work in a computer-driven, data-intensive advanced manufacturing workplace. The centerpiece of this new program is a transformational training device, invented by Amatrol, that enables MSSC to offer hands-on training and assessment as an enhancement to its signature CPT training and certification system. “Skill Boss Manufacturing” is a computer-controlled machine that performs a wide variety of functions aligned with 55+ skills drawn from the MSSC’s National Production Standards.
    • Certified Logistics Technician (CLT): The purpose of the Certified Logistics Technician (CLT) certification program is to recognize through certification, individuals who demonstrate mastery of the core competencies of material handling at the front-line (entry-level to front-line supervisor) through successful completion of the certification assessments. The goal of the CLT certification program is to raise the level of performance of logistics technicians both to assist the individuals in finding higher-wage jobs and to help employers ensure their workforce increases the company’s productivity and competitiveness.
  • NIMS: The National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) sets industry skills standards, certifies individual skills against the standards, accredits training programs that meet NIMS quality requirements, and promotes innovative solutions, such as competency-based apprenticeship, to connect credentialed and work-ready individuals with employers.
  • SACA: The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop and deploy modular Industry 4.0 certifications for a wide range of industries. SACA’s vision is to provide highly affordable, accessible certifications that significantly increase the number of individuals who possess the skills represented by these credentials, thereby ensuring that companies have the highly skilled workers they need, and individuals are prepared to be successful in an Industry 4.0 world.
  • PMMI: PMMI is the leading global resource for the packaging and processing industry. Our core purpose is to unite the industry across the manufacturing supply chain. We connect people, knowledge and ideas and equip businesses to succeed in the global marketplace. Our members promote business growth in a variety of industries by developing innovative manufacturing solutions to meet evolving consumer demands, today and in the future.