What is a career cluster?

Career clusters help you prepare now for your post-high school training options and careers.

It’s kind of like going on a road trip and deciding what part of the country to explore based on what you like and where you would fit in. You could just hop in your car and drive for days, not knowing where you are going, or head toward some place you might like. The smart way to approach your journey would be to sit down with a travel agent, who will ask you questions to help narrow your search. Do you like the mountains or the sea? Do you like cold, snowy climates or hot, dry ones? Are you interested in visiting a large city or a small town?

Heading out on your post-high school journey is very similar. You can sit down with your counselor, who will ask you questions about what you like and don’t like. You can even take a career assessment that will help determine your interests, skills, and work values. Career clusters are a way of grouping together what you like doing and what you are good at doing.

So instead of just heading out after graduation without a plan, take a few minutes, answer some questions, and identify activities you can do now to prepare for the road ahead.

As stated on the Web site for the Career Clusters Initiative, career clusters identify pathways from middle and high school to apprenticeships, trade schools, two- and four-year colleges, graduate school and the workplace. Students can start the career learning process now to help better ensure that they will reach their goals in the future. This connection motivates students to work harder and enroll in more rigorous courses. You will also find career cluster information on all three of Virginia’s career Web sites – Virginia Career VIEW, Career Prospects, and KnowHowVirginia.

So take some time and examine the information on the next few pages about 16 career clusters. Think of them as interstate highways that can get you to your preferred destination. And remember, if an assessment test doesn’t match you up with a specific career cluster, don’t write it off entirely. You just might have to drive a little further to reach that destination.

Employment and salary data on the following Career Clusters are based on 2005 wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The salary range includes annual salaries earned by the 10th and 90th percentile of employees for each career. The education level for each profession is based on the bureau’s occupational training projections for 2006-2007. Each education level represented means that at least 20 percent of employees in that career field have obtained that schooling as their highest level of education. HS stands for high school, CC stands for community college and 4C includes a four-year college degree and higher education.