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Archives: Former National Career Clusters® Framework

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About the Framework

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Methodology

Resources

Implementation Support

The following documents are applicable to the former design of the National Career Clusters Framework and are being phased out of use. The current, modernized Framework released in Fall 2024 is not aligned to these documents. Please contact your state Career Technical Education (CTE) team for information on the Framework timeline implementation and plans for supporting curriculum documents.

This Career Cluster® was focused on the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products or resources.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations.

Agribusiness Systems Career Pathway

Animal Systems Career Pathway

Environmental Service Systems Career Pathway

Food Products & Processing Systems Career Pathway

Natural Resources Systems Career Pathway

Plant Systems Career Pathway

Power, Structural & Technical Systems Career Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on careers in designing, planning, managing, building and maintaining the built environment.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Design/Pre-Construction Pathway

Construction Pathway

Maintenance/Operations Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing multimedia content including visual and performing arts and design, journalism and entertainment services.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF) 
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

A/V Technology & Film Career Pathway

Printing Technology Career Pathway

Visual Arts Career Pathway

Performing Arts Career Pathway

Journalism & Broadcasting Career Pathway

Telecommunications Career Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on careers in planning, organizing, directing and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations.

  • Common Career Technical Core Standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

General Management Pathway

Business Information Management Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Human Resources Management Pathway

Operations Management Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Administrative Support Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing and providing education and training services, and related learning support services. 

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Administration & Administrative Support Pathway

Professional Support Services Pathway

Teaching/Training Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, services for financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management.

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations

Securities & Investments Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Business Finance Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Accounting Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Insurance Pathway

Banking Services Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning and performing government functions at the local, state and federal levels, including governance, national security, foreign service, planning, revenue and taxation, and regulations.

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Governance Pathway

National Security Pathway

Foreign Service Pathway

Planning Pathway

Revenue & Taxation

Regulation Pathway

Public Management & Administration Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostic services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development. 

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF), which provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Therapeutic Services Pathway

Diagnostic Services Pathway

Health Informatics Pathway

Support Services Pathway

Biotechnology Research & Development Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on management, marketing and operations of restaurants and other food services, lodging, attractions, recreation events and travel related services.

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF), which provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway

Lodging Pathway

Travel & Tourism Pathway

Recreation, Amusements & Attractions Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on preparing individuals for employment in careers that relate to families and human needs such as counseling and mental health services, family and community services, personal care and consumer services.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (not available)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Early Childhood Development & Services Pathway

Counseling & Mental Health Services Pathway

Family & Community Services Pathway

Personal Care Services Pathway

Consumer Services Pathway

This Career Cluster® was 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.

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Network Systems Pathway

Information Support & Services Pathway

Web & Digital Communications Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)

Programming & Software Development Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing, and providing legal, public safety and protective services and homeland security, including professional and technical support services.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations.

Correction Services Pathway

Emergency & Fire Management Services Pathway

Law Enforcement Services Pathway

  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)

Legal Services Pathway

 Security & Protective Services Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance and manufacturing, and process engineering. 

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Production Pathway

Manufacturing Production Process Development Pathway

Maintenance, Installation & Repair Pathway

Quality Assurance Pathway

Logistics & Inventory Control Pathway

Health, Safety & Environmental Assurance Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing and performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.

  • Common Career Technical Core with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Marketing Management Pathway

Professional Sales Pathway

Merchandising Pathway

Marketing Communications Pathway

Marketing Research Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, managing and providing scientific research and professional and technical services (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering) including laboratory and testing services, and research and development services.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Engineering & Technology Pathway

Science & Mathematics Pathway

This Career Cluster® was focused on planning, management, and movement of people, materials, and goods by road, pipeline, air, rail and water and related professional support services such as transportation infrastructure planning and management, logistics services, mobile equipment and facility maintenance.

  • Common Career Technical Core standards with performance elements (PDF)
  • Knowledge & Skills Statements (PDF, Excel)
  • Plan of Study (PDF, Excel)
  • Career Cluster Frame (PDF): provides a broad overview for each Career Cluster, including Essential Knowledge and Skills, the types of educational topics studied within a particular Career Pathway, and a listing of sample Career Specialties or occupations. 

Transportation Operations Pathway

Logistics Planning & Management Services Pathway

Warehousing & Distribution Center Operations Pathway

Facility & Mobile Equipment Maintenance Pathway

Transportation Systems/Infrastructure Planning, Management & Regulation Pathway

Health, Safety & Environmental Management Pathway

Sales & Service Pathway

State Implementation Self-Assessment Rubric

Local Implementation Self-Assessment Rubric

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Career Clusters

Click each Cluster for Cluster definitions and implementation resources.