Why Should You Take Career and Technical Education (CTE) Courses?

U.S. Department of Education data indicates that students who focus on Career and Technical Education in high school are overall more likely to graduate.

CTE leads to:

• a high skill, high wage, and high demand occupations;

• a head start on a college degree by earning college credits while in high school;

• learning skills that could provide an earning advantage both during and after high school through nationally recognized certifications; and,

• hands-on work-based learning with the business community through activities such as apprenticeships, internships, cooperative learning and job shadowing.

In Moore County Schools:

• Follow-up studies conducted with the CTE Concentrators from the class of 2022 show 99% went on to further education, advanced training, military service, or employment after high school graduation. 

• CTE students have the opportunity to earn college credit (over 200 courses) while in high school.  

• CTE students earned 4608 industry standard certifications and/or credentials during 2022-2023. 

• CTE students also have the opportunity to take work-based learning courses such as apprenticeships and internships. 

• CTE students can also earn articulation credit with over 50 CTE courses. To qualify for the articulation credit, students must score 93 or better on the exam as well as a B in the course. 

Whether planning to enter the workforce before or after college, all students benefit from both a strong academic foundation and the specialized technical skills to be successful in today’s world. Career and Technical Education (CTE) course sequences may be combined with required academic courses to assist students as they prepare for two and four-year degree programs in technical fields.

CTE course sequences are developed in collaboration with business and industry partners and aspire to reflect the trends in current and emerging careers and the need for life-long learning. Students who elect to pursue a CTE concentration must earn at least two CTE credits in a specific Program Pathway. 

Program Pathways contain courses within a focused technical area that provide students with the knowledge needed to make educated choices about career goals and the post secondary education needed to reach those goals. A list of CTE courses in each Program Pathway can be found in the CTE section of this book. Program Pathways are applicable to students who entered ninth grade for the first time in 2017-2018 or later.

Students should work with their parents, counselors and teachers to identify their interests, abilities and talents. Students will develop an individualized high school plan that will prepare them for career goals and the post secondary education needed to help them reach their goals.

Careers are as diverse as student interests; therefore, MCS offers more than 50 CTE courses in 14 Career Pathway Programs. The selection of a CTE Career Pathway concentration is not a permanent commitment and can be changed if student interests change; however, students should work closely with their school counselor and Career Development Coordinator to determine the effect that changes may have on meeting CTE Career Pathway requirements.

Earning College Credit While In High School

MCS in conjunction with Montgomery Community College and Sandhills Community College have adopted the North Carolina High School to Community College Statewide Articulation Agreement which awards college credit at North Carolina community colleges to students completing select CTE courses.

Under the current state articulation agreements,  MCS  high school students have the opportunity to earn college credit prior to graduation by earning a score of 93 or higher on the CTE post-assessment and earning a grade of B or better in their high school CTE course. See your school counselor or Career Development Coordinator for additional information and an advanced standing agreement application.

For more information about CTE visit the MCS Website at: www.ncsmcs.org and click Departments, Career and Technical Education

Career and Technical Education OPTIONS

CTE PREPARES STUDENTS FOR CAREER AND COLLEGE

CTE courses combined with the required math, science, English, and career/technical course sequences will provide every student with the opportunity for a focused course of study related to his/her career goal. CTE concentrators can meet college course requirements and have the multiple options of enrolling in a four-year college or university, a community college, or entering adult apprenticeship programs. This course of study prepares students to enter technical careers after completing two or four years of college studies. A complete listing of CTE courses and the CTE program areas can be found  in the CTE section of this registration book.

Career and Technical Education Career Pathway Programs