FAQ's
What is a cluster?
There are 16 nationally recognized Career Clusters and CTE has categorized them into six career fields. The Career Cluster model prepares students for a full range of occupations/career specialties, focusing on technical, academic and employability skills. The Career Cluster model verifies that the division between preparation for college and preparation for work no longer applies. The model also helps to solidify the theory that rigor and relevance are the necessary elements to create meaningful learning experiences and motivate today’s students to learn for tomorrow’s economy.
The Career Clusters Model and Future Ready Core graduation requirements were implemented beginning with the freshman class of 2009-2010 in North Carolina. Students choose at least three technical credits from the Foundational courses within a Career Cluster. The fourth technical credit can be either a Foundational or Enhancement course. One of the required classes must be a completer course in order to graduate in a Career Cluster.
What is a completer course?
A completer course is the second or third course in a series that builds upon skills acquired in the previous course(s). A completer course has a prerequisite. As you can see in the Cluster documents in the locker on this page, the completer courses are identified with an *.
What is a concentrator?
A concentrator is a student who has earned four or more technical credits in a Career Cluster, at least one of them was a completer course.
What is a foundation course?
A foundation course provides fundamental knowledge and skills needed for student success in secondary or postsecondary education and careers in the Career Cluster.
What is an enhancement course?
An enhancement course augments related knowledge and skills developed in foundation courses and provides for success in postsecondary education and careers in the Career Cluster.
