Occupational Advisory Committees (OACs)
are vital to the success and operation of all CTE programs.
OCAs are required by PDE/BCTE and your program must hold at least two meetings every school year. OACs are your program's link to the industry in order to keep your program relevant, engaged, and up-to-date with equipment and technology.
All programs must submit OAC members sign in documents and minutes for EACH Meeting. There is a link to a google form below to submit the documents.
OAC Members
Your OAC should mostly consist of representatives from your industry area. For example: If you have an OAC of ten (10) members, at least 6 of them should be industry professionals. The OAC should have, at the minimum, five (5) industry professionals during each meeting. These industry professionals should be there to directly inform the program of current trends in the industry, opportunities for internships, and supporting equipment purchases based on industry direction. The industry professionals should be involved in performing hands-on work at their place of work.
Other OAC members can be educators from local colleges or training institutions. Their input may complement the industry professionals' input and allow them to collaborate regarding the wants and needs of entry-level employees in local businesses. This will allow you to record and identify what local partners are expecting from your students after graduation.
The OAC should also have a chair. The chairperson has the responsibility of running the meeting and guiding the committee through the agenda, and voting on items that arise. The program teacher(s) or an administrator cannot serve as an OAC chair.
The OAC can also have a secretary and co-chair. The co-chair can run the meeting if the chairperson cannot attend the meeting. The secretary is responsible for taking minutes for the meeting.
Current students and parents that are in the program can also attend to give the program students a voice. This is a great practice since students can directly interact with OAC members and leave a lasting impression on a potential employer.
OAC Responsibilities & Activities
Student recruitment for the program
Student placement for the program
Curriculum Development and validation
Facilities and Safety Inspection
Staff Development Opportunities
Student Internship / Job Shadowing / Job-site Tour Opportunities
Community needs identification
Legislative & Financial support/involvement