{"id":1932,"date":"2026-03-16T14:06:34","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T14:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acteonline.org\/cte-101\/?page_id=1932"},"modified":"2026-04-07T19:46:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T19:46:18","slug":"hiring-and-supporting-cte-teachers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.acteonline.org\/cte-101\/hiring-and-supporting-cte-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiring and Supporting CTE Teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hiring and Supporting CTE Teachers<\/h2>\r\n \r\n

Providing learners with access to qualified instructors who have relevant work experience and teaching skills is one of the most important and challenging aspects of administering CTE programs.
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\r\nAs a leader with oversight of CTE, one of your major responsibilities will likely be hiring, onboarding and providing professional learning for CTE teachers. <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n

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\r\n \r\n Pathways into the Profession <\/a>\r\n\r\n
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Instructors who aim to teach academic subjects generally complete university-based teacher preparation before entering the classroom.<\/p>\n

In CTE, the situation is more varied. Some instructors follow this more traditional route, especially in subjects such as agriculture, business and family and consumer sciences.<\/p>\n

However, a greater percentage of teachers in CTE pursue a pathway that moves them quickly into the classroom, where they can teach and earn while participating in preparation and induction programs. About 39% of all public school CTE teachers enter teaching through an alternative certification program, compared to 19% overall (NTPS 2020-21<\/a>). These new teachers are learning pedagogical skills and classroom management while on the job, a heavy lift that may require extra support from administrators and mentor teachers.<\/p>\n

Increasingly, academic instructors are also transitioning to teach CTE courses instead of or in addition to core subject areas. These instructors may need extra support to get up to date on relevant occupational skills and on the problem- and project-based teaching strategies used frequently in CTE classrooms and labs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n \r\n CTE Teacher Requirements <\/a>\r\n\r\n
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CTE teachers should have both occupational skills and experience relevant to the CTE program(s) they teach and pedagogical skills to deliver that content.<\/p>\n

While the specifics vary by state, secondary CTE teachers generally must have some combination of the following for licensure:<\/p>\n