New: pathway guides, toolkits and state profiles for seven states. Parts are still being confirmed with agencies and reviewers, and we update them as answers arrive. Learn more

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Take a quick look and mark what interests you. You can go deeper on the next step.

These six strands are a way to browse, not an official career cluster framework.

  • Nurse Aide / Patient Care

    Science, Health & Care

    High school can deliver: the full nurse aide credential in most of the seven states.

    Watch for: Hawaii lists aides on its registry only at 18; clinical sites set their own age and background-check rules.

  • Emergency Medical Technician

    Science, Health & Care

    High school can deliver: the course and exam preparation; in most states the license waits until 18.

    Watch for: Pennsylvania and Virginia allow certification before 18; the other five states wait.

  • Medical and Dental Assisting

    Science, Health & Care

    High school can deliver: national medical assisting certifications and dental assisting exams.

    Watch for: dental X-ray work needs a separate credential in several states.

  • Early Childhood Education

    Science, Health & Care

    High school can deliver: Child Development Associate preparation and paid aide work at 16 in several states.

    Watch for: each state sets its own staff-age and supervision rules.

  • Electrical

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: industry credentials such as NCCER and OSHA-10, and an apprenticeship head start.

    Watch for: licenses wait until 18 plus experience.

  • Welding

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: welding certifications and college credit; no state welder license exists.

    Watch for: job-site welding by minors needs an approved arrangement in some states.

  • Construction and Carpentry

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: carpentry credentials, OSHA-10 and apprenticeship starts.

    Watch for: contractor licenses wait until 18; height work is restricted for minors.

  • HVAC/R

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: EPA 608 and HVAC credentials.

    Watch for: tradesman licenses, where a state has them, wait until 18.

  • Machining and Mechatronics

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: NIMS and automation credentials plus college credit.

    Watch for: paid shop placements need work-site arrangements for minors.

  • Engineering and Drafting

    Build & Make

    High school can deliver: CAD certifications and, in some states, math or science credit.

    Watch for: credit rules differ by state.

  • Cybersecurity and Networking

    Digital & Information

    High school can deliver: CompTIA and Cisco certifications and articulated college credit.

    Watch for: analyst jobs usually need more education after high school.

  • Programming and Computer Science

    Digital & Information

    High school can deliver: AP and industry programming credentials; computer science can count as math or science in several states.

    Watch for: developer jobs usually need a degree.

  • Business Management and Marketing

    Business, Government & Law

    High school can deliver: office, accounting and marketing credentials, and in some states the personal finance credit.

    Watch for: whether a CTE course can carry personal finance credit varies by state.

  • Entrepreneurship

    Business, Government & Law

    High school can deliver: entrepreneurship certifications and school-based business experience.

    Watch for: state credential lists differ.

  • Law, Public Safety and Corrections

    Business, Government & Law

    High school can deliver: criminal justice credentials, CPR and college credit.

    Watch for: officer, corrections and security roles wait until 18 or 21.

  • Firefighting

    Business, Government & Law

    High school can deliver: course credentials, and Firefighter I before graduation in a few states.

    Watch for: most states hold certification until 18.

  • Culinary Arts and Hospitality

    Arts, Hospitality & Human Services

    High school can deliver: food safety and ProStart credentials and college credit.

    Watch for: alcohol service ages differ by state.

  • Cosmetology

    Arts, Hospitality & Human Services

    High school can deliver: licensure hours, and the full license in a few states.

    Watch for: programs run inside a Board-licensed school; Hawaii offers exploration only.

  • Automotive Service

    Transportation, Agriculture & Environment

    High school can deliver: ASE entry-level certifications and college credit.

    Watch for: safety inspector licenses wait until 18 in several states.

  • Agriculture

    Transportation, Agriculture & Environment

    High school can deliver: plant science, animal care and other listed credentials.

    Watch for: pesticide applicator certification waits until 18.