A credential attests to the qualifications, competence, or authority of an individual to perform at levels of proficiency established by a third party with the relevant or de facto authority and competence to do so. It is the ultimate demonstration of the Knowledge and Skills outlined in the Programs of Study. For the CTE student, it is the culmination of his/her individual Plan of Study—and the beginning of a lifelong career of achievement in his/her chosen field.
For more on credentials, see Advance CTE's brief: Credentials of Value: State Strategies for Identifying and Endorsing Industry-Recognized Credentials or other relevant materials in the Learning that Works Resource Center.
Other useful sites to learn more about Career Cluster-aligned credentials include CareerOneStop's certification finder and the Business Roundtable's National Network.