Career & Tech Ed

What is CTE?

Career and Technical Education is intended to provide students with skills needed in the labor market and to prepare them for post-secondary study in technical areas. The emphasis is on real-world connections to classroom activities — students learn professional and technical skills by practicing those skills. Traditional CTE programs include such vocational courses as automotive repair and welding, but many states offer courses in desktop design applications under the CTE umbrella.

Rather than competing with academic-based college preparation programs, CTE can supplement academic programs, according to the Brookings Institute.

Publication and broadcast CTE programs integrate a variety of skills used in professional fields, including journalism, but also business, technology, and “soft skills” needed in any workplace.

"CTE can motivate students to attend school more frequently and be more engaged, and therefore improve core academic skills.”

The Brookings Institute

Why CTE?

Developing a publications program under CTE has several possible advantages.

For the adviser:

Federal funding for equipment and professional development.
Access to grants and support organizations.
Recognition of the program as career preparation.

For the student:

Dual enrollment in college program (varies by state).
Certification in software programs such as Adobe Photoshop.
Employability skills that translate directly into the workplace.
Publications and broadcast CTE programs integrates a variety of skills used in professional fields, including journalism but also business, technology, and “soft skills” needed in any workplace.

Journalism Skills

Business Skills

Technology Skills

Life Skills

How do I start a CTE program?

Whether journalism teachers have an existing publications program that falls under another content/department area or are starting a program from scratch, they may want or need to network with district and state CTE leadership, assess the program for career-related skills and research the requirements by state for teacher and program certification.

Step-By-Step Guide

Step 1: Make friends with your school’s/district’s CTE department chair

Step 2: Assess your program

Step 3: Build an advisory board

Step 4: Build a Pathway of Study

Consider two or more courses in sequence that lead to either a career pathway through certification or post-secondary pathway in a related program. The course names and sequences will vary from state to state; check your state’s course descriptions and essential skills.

Example course crossover:

Publications Course	CTE Course
Photojournalism	Commercial Photography
Yearbook/Newspaper	Graphic Design/Graphic Arts
Broadcast	Audio Video Production

Step 5: Investigate your state’s licensing or certification requirements.

CTE certification varies widely from state to state. Some require professional experience in the field for licensing; others have multiple paths. Your state’s board of teacher certification is the best place to start.

State	Summary	Link
Arizona	Industrial and Emerging Technologies: work experience, bachelor’s degree in a related field, or combinations of both	Requirements for Career and Technical Education Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments
California	Arts, Media, and Entertainment Sector: 1,000 clock hours professional experience or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood/Career and Technical Education	Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Teaching Credential
New Mexico	Teaching certificate and endorsement in a CTE content area for Secondary with CTE Endorsements; or 2-3 years work experience in related occupational area for Secondary Vocational Technical certificate.	New Mexico Public Education License Bureau
North Dakota	37030-CTE Arts, A/V Technology and Communication 9-12 or 37031-Provisional/CTE Arts, A/V Technology and Communication	North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education
Rhode Island	Full CTE Certification: Post-secondary education in the content area and a one-year residency in a related field. Preliminary CTE Certification: 3-5 years experience working in a related field.	Rhode Island Department of Education Career and Technical Education
Texas	Technology Education 6-12; no work experience required, can be added to a current Texas teacher certification	Texas State Board of Educator Certification
Washington	Technology Education endorsement with completion of a teacher preparation program or 1-3 years work experience in the area.	Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

CTE | ETC Resources

CTE chair Laura Negri, CJE, presents information on the path to Adobe certification for you and your students. The session will highlight resources to prepare for testing.

CTE chair Laura Negri, CJE, shares information about career and technical student organizations and how to start one at your school.

About CTE

CTE lessons

Perkins V and Federal Funds

Software certification

Career and Technology Student Organizations (CTSOs)

Adobe Certification

JEA offers testing for Adobe Certified Professional exams at the National High School Journalism Convention.

Fall 2024 — Nov. 7-10 in Philadelphia, registration deadline Oct. 17, 2024.
Spring 2025 — April 24-26 in Seattle, registration deadline April 4, 2024.

$70 Adobe Certified Professional exam
$110 Adobe Certified Professional exam and practice test

Advisers and students will have the opportunity to take certification exams for Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere. These exams are for intermediate- to advanced-level users.

The 50-minute exams will be administered Saturday morning in the convention computer lab — no personal devices will be allowed. The optional practice tests will be available to testers to practice on their own prior to the fall convention.

This certification is recognized by industry leaders. It also supports high school journalism classes to become funded CTE pathways.