Trade and industrial education prepares people for careers in a variety of trades, including carpentry, masonry, electrical and construction management; automotive technology; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; computer-aided drafting and manufacturing; and cosmetology. Division members are instructors of these subjects at the secondary and postsecondary levels, as well as university professors who prepare these teachers.

The Trade and Industrial Education Division was created to:

• promote, at the national level, the philosophy and objectives of trade and industrial education
• influence national policy affecting trade and industrial education
• cooperate with organizations that support the philosophy and objectives of trade and industrial education
• offer greater visibility to the problems and challenges of trade and industrial educators
• promote and recognize the growth of trade and industrial education teachers in their professional development
• promote the involvement of labor and management in trade and industrial education program and services
• cooperate with federal and state authorities in promoting high standards and developing sound practices in trade and industrial education programs and services
• promote growth and development of the SkillsUSA as an integral part of trade and industrial education programs and services
• provide national meetings of trade and industrial educators and consultants for an exchange of ideas for the promotion, improvement, and expansion of trade and industrial programs and services

The ACTE Trade and Industrial Education Division is aligned with the following career clusters:

• Architecture and Construction
• Arts, A/V Technology and Communications
• Government and Public Administration
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Law, Public Safety and Security
• Manufacturing
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
• Transportation, Distribution and Logistics