Update 2/25: Please read about Advance CTE's decision to suspend their update to the National Career Clusters Framework on their website at https://careertech.org/the-framework.
Update 2/23: Comments on this blog post are closed so that ACTE can compile member input to share with Advance CTE. To share your feedback going forward, please do one of the following: 1) Submit comments to Advance CTE through their feedback form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1N-kRjpPcw2ohx0JAggRGB5_JLzMSr1941JSLY4RxdFHL9g/viewform by February 25; 2) Share your thoughts with ACTE by emailing publicpolicy@acteonline.org.
Last week, Advance CTE released a proposed draft for updates to the National Career Clusters® Framework, which is used for a variety of purposes around the country, including describing CTE, organizing CTE programs, reporting federal CTE data and helping students explore career areas.
Advance CTE has been working on an update to the current Framework for the last year, through an initiative called "Advancing the National Career Clusters Framework," and now has a proposal for feedback and refinement. The impetus to revise the Framework came from a call to action from the CTE community
and its stakeholders to update the current 16 National Career Clusters Framework because they felt it was no longer reflective of the current or future world of work.
The proposal is based on the purpose of providing "structural alignment and a common language to bridge education and work, empowering each learner to explore, decide and prepare for dynamic and evolving careers." It is important to note that the proposed Framework is a draft and may not reflect all feedback gathered to date. For the most updated version of this proposed Framework and additional information, please visit the Advancing the Framework page of the Advance CTE website. The draft Framework reduces the number of national Career Clusters from 16 to 12 and includes the following:
- Business, Management and Public Administration
- Construction & Built Environment
- Education
- Energy
- Food, Living Systems & Natural Resources
- Health, Wellbeing & Community Services
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing and Operations
- Media, Entertainment & Experiences
- Research & Analytics
- Security & Justice
- Transportation & Mobility
It is important that all CTE stakeholders review the draft updates and think critically about how they would impact your programs and students. You can view a presentation on the rationale behind the updates at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxGN90e4yH8&feature=youtu.be and then, once you have viewed the webinar, submit comments to Advance CTE through their feedback form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1N-kRjpPcw2ohx0JAggRGB5_JLzMSr1941JSLY4RxdFHL9g/viewform. Comments must be submitted through the form by February 25. Questions and comments in this form will be attended to through a Frequently Asked Questions document to be shared widely in March by Advance CTE. They hope to have a new Clusters Framework approved by their board of directors later this spring.
ACTE is also interested in hearing your feedback as we work to represent our members during the process. If you would like to share your thoughts with us, please email publicpolicy@acteonline.org.
