With thousands of different occupations for job seekers and students to choose from, it s important to use a meaningful way to organize occupations for career exploration. The career cluster initiative organizes occupations based on their commonalities, like skills and industry needs. In partnership with Minnesota's Career ant Technical Education initiatives (Perkins), MnCareers organizes its occupations within six broad career fields. These career fields are subdivided into 16 career clusters and 81 pathways: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Business, Management & Administration Business, Management, and Administration Finance Hospitality and Tourism Marketing, Sales, and Service Communications & Information Systems Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications Information Technology Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology Architecture and Construction Manufacturing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Health Science Technology Health Science Human Services Education and Training Government and Public Administration Human Services Law, Public Safety, and Security Clusters are further broken down into more than 80 pathways in Minnesota. Career pathways are small groups of occupations within a career cluster. Occupations within a pathway share common skills, knowledge, and interests. For example, the Architecture and Construction career cluster has three pathways: Construction, Design and Pre-Construction, Maintenance and Operations. The graphic on page 54 and the cluster descriptions on pages 55-60 have more information. Why are career fields, clusters and pathways important? Career clusters provide a tool for exploration. Occupations with similar characteristics are grouped together so students and job seekers can explore how their interests and skills fit several pathways and occupations. It is not easy to prepare students for tomorrow s jobs. Technological advances and global competition have created a dynamic world of work. Students must continually update their knowledge and skills to compete. Counselors and teachers must find ways for students to understand the connections between what they learn and school with their futures. Career clusters provide this connection by highlighting pathways from secondary school to college and careers. Resources for using career clusters with clients and students: www.iseek.org/careers/counselor-resources.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 52
Minnesota s Career Cluster Initiative The Career and Technical Education unit and the Minnesota Department of Education brings together professionals from both inside and outside the system, to use the Carl D. Perkins federal funds to improve Career and Technical Education within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, and build, with its partners, opportunities to enter high skill, high wage, and high demand employment in Minnesota. See page 184 for more information. Guiding Principles 1. No longer are Career and Technical Education (CTE) housed in separate silos. 2. College and Work Readiness skills are one and the same. 3. Each student needs at least some education or advanced training past high school whether 2-year college, 4-year university, industry certification, or advanced training through work. 4. Federal Perkins Funding for career and technical education is not an entitlement at either the state or local level. 5. All education spending must be connected with student success outcomes. 6. High schools and colleges must continue to implement that which has worked well and improve on areas of need. 7. CTE must be strategically placed within the broader vision, mission and goals for education within the state of Minnesota. Minnesota s career and educational exploration product developers support CTE initiatives by adopting the career cluster framework. MnCareers, ISEEK and MCIS organize occupations within the six career fields and 16 career clusters. See page 61 for additional information on how these products have implemented career fields, clusters, and pathways. www.iseek.org/mnpos/ www.cte.mnscu.edu 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 53
Minnesota Career Fields, Clusters & Chart Download this "wheel" in PDF at: www.iseek.org/iseek/static/pathways.pdf 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 54
Career Field: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Within the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources field there is one cluster: Agriculture, food, and natural resources workers produce agricultural goods. This includes food, plants, animals, fabrics, wood, and crops. Agribusiness Systems Animal Systems Environmental Service Systems Food Products and Processing Systems Natural Resources Systems Plant Systems Power Structural and Technical Systems www.iseek.org/careers/agriculture.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 55
Career Field: Business, Management & Administration Within the Business, Management & Administration field there are four clusters: Business, management, and administrative workers give the support needed to make a business run. Administrative Support Business Information Management Human Resources Management General Management Operations Management www.iseek.org/careers/business.html Finance workers keep track of money. You might work in financial planning, banking or insurance. Accounting Banking Services Business Finance Insurance Securities and Investments www.iseek.org/careers/finance.html Hospitality and tourism workers help people enjoy vacations and entertainment activities. Lodging Recreation, Amusements and Attractions Restaurants and Food and Beverage Services Travel and Tourism www.iseek.org/careers/hospitality.html Marketing, sales and service workers help businesses sell products. Marketing Communications Marketing Management Market Research Merchandising Professional Sales www.iseek.org/careers/marketing.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 56
Career Field: Communications & Information Systems Within the Communications & Information Systems field there are two clusters: Arts, audio/video technology, and communications workers use creativity and their talents on the job. You might work for an audience as a performer or artist. Audio and Video Technology and Film Journalism and Broadcasting Performing Arts Printing Technology Telecommunications, Visual Arts www.iseek.org/careers/arts.html Information technology workers deal with computer hardware, software, multimedia or network systems. Information Support and Services Network Systems Programming and Software Development Web and Digital Communication www.iseek.org/careers/it.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 57
Career Field: Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology Within the Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology field there are four clusters: Architecture and construction workers work on buildings and other structures. This includes highways, bridges, houses, and buildings. Construction Design and Pre-construction Maintenance and Operations www.iseek.org/careers/architecture.html Manufacturing workers work with products and equipment. You might design a new product, decide how the product will be made, or make the product. Health, Safety and Environmental Assurance Logistics and Inventory Control Maintenance, Installation and Repair Manufacturing Production Process Development Production Quality Assurance www.iseek.org/careers/manufacturing.html Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workers do scientific research in laboratories or the field. Others plan or design products and systems. Engineering and Technology Science and Mathematics www.iseek.org/careers/stem.html Transportation, distribution, and logistics workers move people and products by road, air, rail and water. Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance Health, Safety and Environmental Management Logistics Planning and Management Services Sales and Service Transportation Operations Transportation Systems/Infrastructure Planning, Management and Regulation Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations www.iseek.org/careers/transportation.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 58
Career Field: Health Science Technology Within the Health Science field there is one cluster: Health science workers promote health and wellness. They diagnose and treat injuries and disease. Biotechnology Research and Development Diagnostic Services Supportive Services Health Informatics Therapeutic Services www.iseek.org/careers/health.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 59
Career Field: Human Services Within the Human Services field there are four clusters: Description Education and training workers guide and train people. Administration and Administrative Support Professional Support Services Teaching and Training www.iseek.org/careers/education.html Description Government and public administration workers help pass and enforce the law. You could work in national, state or local government. Foreign Service Governance National Security Planning Public Management and Administration Regulation, Revenue and Taxation www.iseek.org/careers/government.html Description Human services workers help individual and families meet their personal needs. Consumer Services Counseling and Mental Health Services Early Childhood Development and Services Family and Community Services Personal Care Services www.iseek.org/careers/humanservices.html Description Law, public safety, corrections, and security workers guard the public and enforce the law as police officers or security guards, or provide fire protection and other services. Correction Services Emergency and Fire Management Services Enforcement Services Legal Services Security and Protection Services www.iseek.org/careers/law.html 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 60
Using Career Clusters with MnCareers, ISEEK and MCIS Minnesota has responded to the career cluster initiative by reorganizing its main career and educational exploration products MnCareers, MCIS, and ISEEK into the career field, cluster and pathway organization. Read below for specific product details. MnCareers divided its 200 occupation descriptions into 16 career clusters. The clusters are listed alphabetically in the publication. Each cluster includes a variety of details, including: Description Related classes Ways to explore the cluster Typical activities on the job Skill requirements Job outlook Specific occupations within the cluster Additional resources Alternative job titles www.iseek.org/mncareers/index.html MCIS has occupational information on over 500 different occupations. They have these occupations organized within the six career fields and 16 career clusters. MCIS offers a variety of new field and cluster information: Dynamic career fields, clusters and pathways graphic for occupation exploration Graduation requirements by career field Postsecondary expectations by career field Occupations by career field Programs of study by career field Helpful high school courses by career cluster Helpful activities by career cluster http://mncis.intocareers.org/ Because some of ISEEK s occupational information is provided by MCIS, you will find much of the same career field and cluster information on ISEEK that you will on MCIS. ISEEK continues to organize occupations for exploration within the 16 career clusters and 81 pathways, as well as provide information for counselors and teachers using the cluster framework. www.iseek.org 2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 61