Career and Technical Education (CTE)

To complete a CTE Pathway for graduation:

● The student must take at least two technical credits from the courses listed in the Career Pathway charts.

● In order to be a CTE Career Pathway concentrator, the student must complete the 2 or 3 course sequence.

Contact your school’s Career Development Coordinator for more information. For details on the careers, certifications, and leadership opportunities within each career cluster, visit the Lee County Schools Career and Technical Education website at https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/Page/2184

Every Career Pathway allows students to participate in work-based learning

experiences such as internships, apprenticeships and job shadowing. Students also

have the opportunity to participate in and join a Career and Technical Student

Organization (CTSO’s). These organizations provide leadership development,

academic and career achievement, professional development and community service.

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

CTE leads to:

● High skill, high wage, and high demand occupations

● A head start on a college degree by earning college credits while in high school

● Skills that provide an earning advantage both during and after high school through nationally recognized certifications

● Hands-on work based learning with the business community through activities such as apprenticeships, internships, and job shadowing

● Participation in Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO’s)

● Students who take selected CTE courses may receive an articulated credit if they meet the following criteria:  enroll at the community college within two years of their graduation date, receive a final grade of B or higher in the course, and a score of 93 or higher on the standardized CTE post-assessment.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Descriptions

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION provides systematic instruction to students in the areas of agriculture, food and natural resources. Through these subjects, agriculture educators teach students a wide variety of skills, including science, math, communications, leadership, management and technology.  Agriculture education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems.

BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND MARKETING EDUCATION (BFM) provides students with meaningful instruction for and about business. Instruction in Business, Finance and Marketing Education encompasses business skills and techniques, an understanding of basic economics, and understanding on making socioeconomic decisions and producing goods and services to consumption, and business attitudes essential to become a globally engages and productive citizen. BFM plays a key role in preparing a competent, business-literate, and skilled workforce. The associated curricula have real-life relevance that empowers and helps young adults to compete in a global marketplace while managing their own financial affairs and making intelligent consumer and business-related choices.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION provides the foundation to prepare students for careers and education in the 21st century; it is designed to introduce students to the opportunity to understand and make connections between their interest, attitudes, values, personality, learning styles, skills, and career choices. Students understand the lifelong, sequential process of determining self and career identity.

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION (CSIT) is focused on building linkages in information technology occupations for entry level, technical and professional careers related to the design, development, support and management of hardware, software, multimedia and systems integration services. Students will demonstrate knowledge of and proficiency in date representation and abstraction; effectively design, develop, and test algorithms; demonstrate knowledge of digital devices, systems and networks; and demonstrate an understanding of the roll computer science plays and its impact in the modern world. The program works in coordination with the Computer Science Division.

FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES EDUCATION (FCS) provides the bridge needed by all students to deal with major societal issues such as work-and-family, health care, child and elder care, family and community violence and crime, global economics and politics, and technology usage. FCS Education is a catalyst to bring these issues into action-oriented, skill- building educational programs. The North Carolina FCS Education program provides a platform for students to transition into adult file by gaining a strong foundation of the knowledge and skills needed for successfully living and working in a diverse, global society.

HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION provides a comprehensive program to meet present and projected needs for the health care industry. Curriculum concepts incorporate technological advances to motivate students and prepare them to pursue a career as a future health professional. Emphasis is placed on the various domains of healthcare and related skills such as: employability skills, prevention (wellness), diagnostics, therapeutics, and rehabilitation. Students are encouraged to pursue work-based learning opportunities that include job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships to support their areas of interest in healthcare. **Health Science Education is designed to prepare graduates as viable competitors in the health care industry and for advanced educational opportunities.

TRADE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION (TTE&I) programs provide students with the skills and conceptual knowledge needed for careers in industry, engineering and design. Students can focus on industry certifications for careers immediately after graduation or develop skills and knowledge needed for higher level professional degrees in engineering and design fields.