Career Pathways

2025-2026 Academic Year

Program Area: Agricultural Education

Career Pathways connect rigorous CTE coursework with real-world experiences preparing students for careers.
Work-based Learning (WBL) is an integral part of all Career and Technical Education courses in North Carolina to show curricular relevance to industry skills.

Public School Units (PSUs) are encouraged to strategically choose work-based learning strategies in alignment with unique needs, considering factors such as local employment demands, available program offerings, resources, and other pertinent considerations. Contact your local CTE administrator for more information.

WBL Courses with Academic Credit:

  • CTE Advanced Studies
  • CTE Cooperative Education
  • CTE Entrepreneurial Experience
  • CTE Internship
  • CTE Pre-apprenticeship
  • CTE Apprenticeship

WBL Activities without Academic Credit:

  • Guest speaker
  • Career fair
  • Job fair
  • Transition fair
  • Field trip (workplace tour)
  • Job shadowing
  • Mentoring
  • Service learning
  • School-based enterprise
  • Simulated workplace
  • Workplace challenge/Industry-sponsored project

Animal Science (ANSC)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AA21 Animal Science I
Concentrator Option(s)
AA22 Animal Science II - Food Animal
AA23 Animal Science II - Companion Animal
Career Pathway Major Options
AA41 Veterinary Assisting
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Equine Science (EQSC)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AA31 Equine Science I
Concentrator Option(s)
AA32 Equine Science II
Career Pathway Major Options
AA41 Veterinary Assisting
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AA21 Animal Science I
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Natural Resources (NARE)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AN51 Natural Resources I
Concentrator Option(s)
AN52 Natural Resources II
AN53 Natural Resources II - Forestry
Career Pathway Major Options
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Plant Systems (PLSV)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AP41 Horticulture I - Introduction to Plants
Concentrator Option(s)
AP42 Horticulture II - Plant Production
AP44 Horticulture II - Landscape Construction
Career Pathway Major Options
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Power, Structural, and Technical Systems (PSTE)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AS31 Agricultural Mechanics I
Concentrator Option(s)
AS32 Agricultural Mechanics II
AS33 Agricultural Mechanics II - Small Engines
Career Pathway Major Options
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Sustainable Agriculture (SUAG)

Middle Grades Exploration
AY10 Fundamentals of Biotechnology
AY11 Introduction to Biotechnology
AY12 Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology
AY20 Exploring Environmental and Natural Resources
AY21 Exploring Animal and Plant Science
AY22 Exploring Food and Agricultural Products
AY23 Exploring Agricultural Issues
AY24 Fundamentals of the Agricultural Science Program
AY25 Agriculture and Our Social and Economic Well-Being
EY10 Exploring Personal Characteristics and Careers
EY11 Exploring Careers and Employment
EY12 Exploring Financial Literacy
EY30 Career Exploration
Foundational Prerequisite Option(s)
N/A
Prerequisite Option(s)
AU21 Sustainable Agriculture Production I
Concentrator Option(s)
AU22 Sustainable Agriculture Production II
Career Pathway Major Options
WA02 CTE Apprenticeship AGNR
WE02 CTE Entrepreneurial Experience AGNR
WI02 CTE Internship AGNR
WO02 CTE Cooperative Education AGNR
WP02 CTE Pre-apprenticeship AGNR
WS02 CTE Advanced Studies AGNR
Supplemental Employability Skills
0I00 IB Personal and Professional Skills
CC10 Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
ED45 Career Management
Supplemental Technical Courses
AU10 Foundations of Agriculture
Career and College Promise
Approved Career and College Promise Career Technical Education Pathway
Career and Technical Student Organizations
The National FFA Organization
North Carolina FFA Association

Download 2025-2026 Pathway Info