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Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School

The occupation Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School covers people who teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on speaking, learning strategies, and instructing. One core duty is to instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. The strongest interest signal is Social (7.0 of 7), then Conventional (3.8) and Artistic, which gives it the code SCA. It tends to suit people who want helping, teaching or caring for people, and it offers little for anyone seeking leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level.

Main tasks

  • Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
  • Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  • Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
  • Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
  • Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Learning Strategies
  • Instructing
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Monitoring

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and learning strategies.

May not suit you if

  • You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 2.3 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SCA takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Also called

  • Agriscience Technology Instructor (Agriculture Science Technology Instructor)
  • Business Education Teacher
  • Career and Technology Education Teacher (CTE Teacher)
  • Career Discovery Teacher
  • Computer Technology Teacher

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.