Career and Technical Education Certifications

Pennsylvania law requires that you demonstrate competence in the area that will be taught corresponding to the appropriate CIP Code plan to be taught. Candidates must have at least 4 years (8,000 hours) of paid wage-earning work experience in the subject they will teach and successfully complete the Occupational Competency Assessment (OCA) process. Once you have completed the OCA you are eligible to apply for an Intern Certificate on the TIMS website

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, through the Bureau of Vocational-Technical Education, has authorized The Pennsylvania State University to administer the Occupational Competency Assessment (OCA) examination for persons who desire to teach shop/laboratory subjects on a career and technical basis. Satisfactory completion of the OCA is one of the legal requirements for issuing a Career and Technical teaching certificate in Pennsylvania.

Testing

Open Enrollment Period

• July 1st – June 30th

Candidates who are not eligible for a credential review must show competency by successfully passing the NOCTI Skilled Worker assessment. The assessment consists of 1) an electronic computer-based test and 2) a performance-based assessment. Testing occurs periodically throughout the year. Candidates are reminded that they should schedule and complete their OCA testing well in advance of their emergency certification expiration date. 

To apply please contact Wilda Hackman at (814) 863-0805 or by email: [email protected] 

IMPORTANT: Any testing deadlines will not be extended. Testing also includes the Cooperative Education NOCTI Assessment.

What are the Eligibility Requirements?

To be eligible for the program the candidate must submit the following documentation to be reviewed by the testing center:

1. Education: Documentation indicating the candidate is a graduate of a secondary school or possesses equivalent education credentials.  
2. Work Experience: Documentation that verifies "a minimum of four years (8,000 hrs) wage-earning experience in addition to the learning period in the occupation to be taught. ***** NOTE: Work experience MUST be verified within our office.***** 
3. Credentials: Must submit a complete personnel file of required, official credentials issued by the credentialing agency.

What are the Employment Experience Guidelines and Requirements?

Employment experience guidelines and requirements are:

1. A minimum of four years of wage-earning work experience beyond the learning period in an occupation directly related to the occupation to be taught.
2. Comprehensive experience to include major coverage of the skills of the occupation, not a narrow sampling of a few skills.
3. Military employment or service beyond the training period directly related to the specific occupation.
4. State professional licensure or selected national certification in the occupation.

What is the Learning Period?

You must have completed a learning period in the occupation you intend to teach. Work Experience, as it applies to the OCA is defined as: 

1. Worker in a wage-earning experience as an apprentice and/or student. 
2. Student in a career and technical school, career and technical institute or college. 
3. Student in a cooperative career and technical education program. 
4. Student in a career and technical teacher education program that includes specialized or technical courses directly related to the occupation. 
5. Student in an associate degree program in the occupation field. 
6. Graduate of an approved four (4) year college curriculum when the major field of study is directly related to the occupational field. 
7. Military training or instruction directly related to the occupation. 

Employment Experience Considerations

1. Part-time work experience will be evaluated on the basis of two thousand (2000) clock hours as equivalent to one (1) calendar year. 
2. Occupations requiring a state professional license or selected national certification, such as a license or certification when issued by an accredited state or national association, will be accepted in lieu of the competency examination, but not in lieu of the Occupational Competency Assessment Program, which includes evaluation of wage-earning experience beyond the learning period, the validating of licenses, and high school graduation or equivalent. 
3. Work experience used in verifying occupational experience in one occupation may also be used to verify occupational experience in another closely related occupation. 

Occupational Experience

Occupational experience is required in each of the major occupational areas combined to form a cluster career and technical program.

Teaching Experience

Teaching experience or supervisory experience in the occupational area cannot be counted toward meeting the work experience requirement.

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