Workforce Education
Teacher Certification for Career-Technical Educators
The Workforce Education and Development major is designed to prepare someone already skilled in a trade or health area, or a graduate of a high school/career technical school, to become a teacher in:
- a career-technical school
- comprehensive high school
- community college, or an
- administrator of career-technical education
The major also has an Industrial Training option to prepare people to assist industry with their training needs and an Occupational Home Economics option for those who wish to teach occupational home economics such as child care.
The Degree Program
To enter the Workforce Education and Development major a student must have completed a formal training period in an industrial or health-related occupation. The training may have been received from a career-technical school, a community college, a private trade school, industry, or the armed services.
The major also requires that the applicant have two years of work experience in his or her field of specialization beyond the learning period. If a student has completed the training period, but has no work experience, it still may be possible to enter the major and complete work experience during the summer or other semesters. The work will be supervised and the student will earn credit. The program will take five years if a student combines work and study.
Emphasis Areas
The Industrial Education, Health Occupations Education, and Occupational Home Economics options lead to the bachelor of science (B.S.) degree in Workforce Education and Development and a teaching certificate. This degree program requires the successful completion of both the learning period and work experience components of an occupation, as well as successful completion of the Occupational Competency Assessment.
A B.S. degree is necessary to become a supervisor or director of vocational education or a chief administrator of a vocational school. Eventually, a master's degree must be earned in order to qualify for these areas of certification.
The non-certification Industrial Training option requires that a person complete a practicum experience working in an industrial setting. These experiences have been arranged, for the most part, within Pennsylvania, but there are several opportunities at industrial sites for out-of-state students who may wish to return to their home areas to fulfill this requirement.
The following is a representative sampling of occupational areas in which students may be certified. Industrial Education and the Occupational Home Economics options are for individuals who have an interest in qualifying for a trade and industrial teaching certificate in the areas listed above.
- HVAC
- Health Occupations
- Appliance Repair
- Heavy Equipment – Construction
- Automotive Body
- Interior Decorating
- Automotive Technology
- Law Enforcement Training
- Building Construction Occupations
- Machine Shop Practice
- Building Trades Maintenance
- Machine Tool Operation
- Carpentry
- Masonry
- Child Care
- Metal Fabrication
- Commercial Arts
- Millwork and Cabinetmaking
- Cosmetology
- Painting and Decorating
- Diesel Mechanic
- Plastics
- Drafting-Architectural
- Drafting- Mechanical
- Electrical Construction/Maintenance
- Cooperative Education
- Electrical Industrial
- Sheet Metal
- Electro-Mechanical
- Small Engine Repair
- Electronics
- Tailoring
- Food Service
- Textile Production/Fabrication
- Graphic Arts
- Tool and Die Making
- Heating
- Welding
Employment Opportunities
The current employment picture for graduates of the Workforce Education and Development major shows that they normally have a choice of jobs. It is expected that the future employment outlook will continue to be favorable because of the great emphasis on preparing students for industrial employment.
Career-technical education teachers usually work in Career and Technical schools. Average starting salaries for graduates of this major are somewhat higher than the salaries of other beginning teachers because school districts often count years of training and occupational experiences in computing the salary of career-tech teachers. The salary offered will depend upon the school district in which the student accepts employment and the area of specialization.
