The mission of Career and Technical Education (CTE) is to empower students to be successful citizens, workers, and leaders in a global economy. CTE programs are designed to contribute to the broad educational achievement of students, as well as foster their ability to work independently and as part of a team, think creatively and solve problems, and utilize technology in the thinking and problem-solving process.
CTE programming fulfills a significant role in schools. Students who concentrate in a CTE area by earning at least two related technical credits in a career pathway are better prepared for the additional education and advanced training required to be successful in future careers.
A part of CTE programming, Career Clusters are broad groupings of occupation or career specialties, organized by the common knowledge and skills required for success in those fields. Durham Public Schools offers 13 Career Clusters.
Durham Public School’s 13 Career Clusters
- Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
- Architecture and Construction
- Arts, A/V Technology and Communications
- Business Management and Administration
- Finance
- Health Science
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Human Services
- Information Technology
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
- Marketing
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
- Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
Career Pathways
Career Pathways are sub-groupings of occupations within a Career Cluster used as an organizing tool for curriculum design and instruction. Occupations are grouped into pathways based on the set of common knowledge and skills required for career success. Each of the Career Clusters listed above have related Career Pathway options.
Students must enter the annual DPS lottery for potential placement in a CTE Pathway program. The lottery typically opens in January of each year for the following school year. Students residing in the school attendance zone for the CTE Pathway for which they are applying will have priority seating in the program.
Students who do not reside in the attendance zone for these schools may still enter the lottery for potential placement in these specific programs:
Northern High School: Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Northern High School: Fire Academy and Public Safety
Northern High School: Hospitality and Tourism
Nothern High School Automotive
Jordan High School: Agriscience
Hillside High School: Business and Finance Academy
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability: Skilled Trades
Southern School of Energy and Sustainability: Automotive
Riverside High School: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
JROTC Programs
While JROTC programs are not CTE Pathways, students can also enter the annual lottery to participate in a JROTC program that is not offered at their base, zoned school. Please contact the JROTC teacher at the school for more information:
Riverside High School: Air Force JROTC
Please note this important information:
• Continued placement in a CTE pathway or JROTC program is dependent on meeting expectations for attendance, grades, behavior, and progress in the program.
• Transportation to the CTE pathway/JROTC school is provided to and from the districted base school. Transportation to the base school is the responsibility of the family.
For More Information
For specific information about our pathways, courses, and standards, please refer to our Course Management System website.
Review the CTE Course and Program Offerings to know which schools offer the pathway that best aligns with your career interests. Find course descriptions in the DPS High School Course Guide.
You can also speak with your school’s Career Development Coordinator, Special Populations Coordinator, or counselor to learn more about CTE programs offered at specific schools. General questions can be directed to Darian Harris, Curriculum and Instructional Management Coordinator, DPS CTE (darian_harris@dspnc.net) 919-560-2000 x22772
Middle school students interested in a CTE Pathway may visit high schools during Showcase of Schools tours held during November, December, and January each year.
Families should make note of transportation and athletic participation policies if considering attending a school outside of their attendance zone for a CTE pathway.
