Each endorsement area houses a number of career clusters as defined by the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical Education (NASDCTE).⁵ Career clusters represent a grouping of occupations and industries based on common knowledge and skills required to succeed in these careers. According to CareerTech.org, career clusters “function as a useful guide in developing programs of study bridging secondary and post-secondary curriculum and for creating individual student plans of study for a complete range of career options.”⁶

Take a moment to review the 16 nationally recognized career clusters:^{7, 8}

As with course types, several of the above career clusters may be used under multiple endorsement areas. For example, Health Science is connected to the Public Services endorsement, as health professionals serve the public; however, Health Science courses could also be a component in other endorsement areas as identified by the Local Education Agency (LEA).

Not all schools will offer all 16 career clusters; however, districts should be creative in their use of technology and outreach to local resources (businesses, institutions of higher education, etc.) to give students access to learning opportunities in as many clusters as possible.⁹

Utilizing career clusters helps students achieve a number of college and career readiness goals.¹⁰ One, career clusters integrate technical skills with rigorous academic and employability skills. Two, they help organize course pathways that prepare students to be lifelong learners in their chosen fields, rather than just preparing them for a specific job. Three, they are inclusive and student-centered, which means they are designed to expose all students to a variety of career options and help all students leave high school prepared for post-secondary learning.