Career Pathways

Foundational Prerequisite courses provide the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary for student success.

Prerequisite courses provide fundamental or intermediate knowledge and skills for student success in secondary and post-secondary education and careers in the Career Pathway and should be completed prior to enrolling in a concentrator pathway course.

Concentrator courses are second- or third-level courses in a Career Pathway that builds upon technical skills acquired in a prerequisite course.

Career Pathway Major courses provide aligned specificity in a Career Pathway and can include either an Advanced Studies course, Work-based Learning course, or a course with aligned content that deepens student expertise. The pathway concentrator course must be completed before enrollment in a career pathway major.

Supplemental Employability courses provide durable employability skills which are relevant across all career pathways. These skills are valued by employers and prepare students for career success in whichever path they choose.

Supplemental Technical courses provide knowledge and skills which, while not within the career pathway directly, contribute to the knowledge and skills valuable to careers in the pathway and may provide students with an advantage as they pursue a career or post-secondary education.

Work-based Learning (WBL) is an integral educational strategy within the North Carolina Career and Technical Education (CTE) system. It provides students with real-world work experiences, allowing them to apply academic and technical skills while developing crucial durable employability skills. These experiences occur at employer worksites, coordinated with school-based activities to illustrate the practical relevance of academic learning.

Work-based learning strategies, integral to all CTE career clusters in North Carolina, encompass the four phases of the Career Development Continuum: career awareness, exploration, preparation, and participation as noted in the image below. Learn more at Career Development and Work-based Learning | NC DPI.