Helping All Students Become Career and College Ready

Career and Technical Education – Washington (CTE) promotes and supports locally-based middle and high school programs that provide 21st century, academic and technical skills for all students. Whether you plan to go to work straight out of high school or eventually earn a PhD, whether you have a clear career goal or just want to learn something practical and new, you can benefit from CTE.

Through CTE, students:

• Explore careers in middle and high school, especially careers in high-demand, high-growth fields such as healthcare and green technologies
• Identify a career goal
• Write a High School and Beyond Plan, with help from school career and guidance counselors, that identifies the high school and college-level academic and skills-based classes, training programs and apprenticeships that will best prepare them for their career path of choice.
• Take classes in high schools, at skills centers and at community and technical colleges that apply math, science and other academic subjects in real-life, hands-on ways
• Pursue a rigorous Programs of Study to a registered apprenticeship, industry certifications and two- and four-year college options.
• Earn tuition-free college credits as well as high school credits required for graduation
• Become leaders by participating in skills competitions and community service

CTE in Washington

In our state, every school district offers some CTE career exploration services, CTE class offerings and participation in student leadership organizations. Many students have access to skills centers that teach CTE classes to students from several surrounding districts. CTE classes can often fulfill academic credits required for high school graduation and some classes are even good for tuition-free college credit. Many CTE Advanced Placement classes exist and more are being developed each year.

To check out CTE’s many offerings, visit Preparing for Your Future: Why CTE?

State Leadership

CTE is overseen by Career and College Readiness in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. CTE works in partnership with Secondary Education and Navigation 101, which aims to help students make clear, careful, and creative plans for life beyond high school.

Washington CTE courses are currently approved by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and are taught by an instructor who has a current career and technical education certification and whose certification matches the instructional area. CTE is partially funded by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006.

Become a CTE Business Supporter or a CTE Teacher

Are you a business owner who would like to get more involved with the workforce of tomorrow? Consider speaking to students in their schools, organizing field trips to your worksites, and establishing apprenticeship and internship opportunities. If you’re interested in learning more, contact your local school district’s Career and Technical Education Director or main administrative office.

Do you have industry experience, are enthusiastic about what you do, and would like to share your skills and knowledge with middle and high school students? CTE teaching gives you a chance to make a difference in preparing our children for meaningful, living-wage jobs in a variety of fields — to pass along your expertise and excitement to a new generation. If you’re interested in CTE teaching, visit our Certification page for more information or simply give us a call at (360) 725-6245.