Maximizing the full power of the modernized National Career Clusters® Framework (the Framework) requires tailored, consistent communications. Messages should effectively articulate its benefits and facilitate its use to learners and leaders across all ages, stages, and roles of career development.
Effective communication brings us one step closer to the Framework serving as the standard, common language and go-to tool not only for Career Technical Education (CTE), but all career readiness systems and programs
Effectively Communicating the National Career Clusters Framework provides two tools with ready-made messages, strategies, and step by step processes to leverage the Framework as a connector for leaders and learners.
Brief: provides key messages about the value of the Framework for learners and leaders to implement in communications. It also offers guidance and examples to embed these messages in connected and existing career readiness communications and career advising activities.
Worksheet: provides six steps, reflection questions, and mapping activities to evaluate current communications and identify opportunities to intentionally embed messages about the Framework.
Use Cases
Effectively Communicating the National Career Clusters Framework can be used by both state and local leaders and educators to advance a variety of priorities for strategic and day-to-day career readiness communications and implementation initiatives. Use cases include:
- enhance state-level Career Clusters communications campaigns and tools
- build buy-in to connect new partners to Framework use and implementation
- standardize state and/or district career advising tools
- update learner communications to advance Framework implementation goals
- increase learner and family knowledge about the Framework structure connection to coursework planning
This resource, developed by Advance CTE, supports the adoption and implementation of the National Career Clusters® Framework as the central building block to achieve consistently designed and high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and career readiness experiences. First introduced in 2002, a majority of states use a version of the Framework, with Advance CTE as its steward. A modernized Framework was unveiled in October 2024 after a 2-year development and validation process.
Visit the Career Clusters section of the Advance CTE website for additional information about the full Framework and all associated tools and resources.
