Career Technical Education (CTE)

In an increasingly complex global economy, all students must be equipped with intellectual, technical, and social skills, so that they are prepared to compete and contribute meaningfully to their community. For most, this will mean completing some postsecondary education or training; for all, it will mean learning about themselves and the world of work.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides a pathway for students beginning in the middle grades, then progressing through secondary and post-secondary.  In the state of Utah, CTE is organized into 14 major industry sectors or career clusters:

1. Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
2. Agriculture
3. Arts, Entertainment & Design
4. Business Management & Entrepreneurship
5. Construction
6. Digital Technology
7. Education
8. Energy & Natural Resources
9. Financial Services
10. Healthcare & Human Services
11. Hospitality, Events & Tourism
12. Marketing
13. Public Service & Safety
14. Supply Chain & Transportation

These career clusters are further specified into career pathways. A career pathway is a sequence of courses that provides students with an opportunity to acquire a durable skill set and experience necessary to be prepared for a variety of career options.  Pathways are designed to support an individual’s success as they begin navigating the economic and workforce demands.

For more detailed information on each of the aforementioned career clusters, please review the Utah State Board of Education’s (USBE) website here.

Our mission for the Park City School District (PCSD) Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is to cultivate the potential in all students by integrating rigorous instruction with relevant experiences that empower, guide, and inspire them beyond our education system. We will connect the academic, employability and technical skills that prepare our students for the challenges of post-secondary education and a globally competitive workforce.

 By participating in a CTE course and/or pathway, students:

• Experience a more personalized and relevant education;
• Acquire real-world knowledge and skills;
• Encounter opportunities for concurrent enrollment (college) credit;
• Prepare for high-wage, high-skill, and emerging in-demand career;
• Explore opportunities to earn industry recognized credentials;
• Become aware of multiple pathways to college and/or career;
• Potentially save time and money towards postsecondary training;
• Obtain skills today that will be used tomorrow;
• Maximize opportunities.

Utah CTE At-A-Glance

Park City CTE At-A-Glance

Industry and labor market trends often drive courses, as well as the strands and standards developed for those courses.  To learn more about the industry and labor market trends within the state of Utah, click here.

CCA is a course designed to increase awareness among our 8th graders of the college and career pathways through simulations and project-based experiences. The CCA course explores high school, college, and career options based on individual student interests, abilities, and skills. Students will investigate high-skill and/or in-demand jobs that exist within the Utah labor market while developing transportable skills.  To learn more about the course, you may review the strands and standards here.

CTSO's were established with the commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of young people.  CTE integrates student leadership elements, which complements student participation in these courses and programs. 

Here in Park City, students have the opportunity to join the following CTSOs:

 Educators Rising

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

Future Healthcare Professionals (HOSA)

Technology Student Association (TSA)

Utah CTSO Information

WBL provides students with the opportunity to learn a variety of skills by expanding the walls of classroom learning to include community partners through internships.  By narrowing the gap between theory and practice, WBL provides a meaningful and relevant experience for students.

A member of the national CAPS Network, and supported by Park City Education Foundation, the Park City Center for Advanced Professional Studies (PCCAPS) is an elective for Park City School District 11th and 12th graders.

The student experience is guided by the principles of Project-Based Learning (PBL), a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. In combination with fundamental knowledge, PBL models facilitate growth in collaboration, problem-solving, self-management, effective communication, perseverance, and good work habits. PCCAPS provides a supportive environment where students self-discover how real-world teams function to produce solutions and deliverables.

Volunteer mentors from a wide range of professions serve to support program goals by offering project feedback throughout the semester. For more information about PCCAPS, feel free to visit our website.

Utah students have the opportunity to earn certifications while in high school through participation in CTE. Certifications are awarded through validation of skills in cooperation with a business, trade association, or other industry group. The Utah CTE Skill Certificate Program provides students, grades 9-12, with opportunities to receive instruction aligned with standards and objectives set by the state of Utah and by industry. Students' knowledge and performance is demonstrated as part of the CTE Skill Certification process.

Utah Credentials of Value

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) is the primary federal law governing career and technical education (CTE). Signed into law on July 31, 2018, it allocates roughly $1.4 billion annually to states to improve and expand vocational training for youth and adults.

Perkins V places a strong emphasis on aligning secondary and postsecondary education with the needs of the modern labor market, requiring local recipients to conduct a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment.

PCSD's 2020-2025 Perkins V Data