Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
In the Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary occupation, workers teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. O*NET rates it as medium preparation, which usually means one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. It leans on learning strategies, instructing, and active listening. One core duty is to observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement. With a code of SIR, this is mostly a job for people drawn to helping, teaching or caring for people. Investigative interests also help, rated 4.2 out of 7. If you want helping, teaching or caring for people, keep it on your list. If you need leading, persuading and making business decisions, it may feel thin.
What they do
Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.
Main tasks
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement.
- Present lectures and conduct discussions to increase students' knowledge and competence using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, videotapes, and slides.
- Supervise and monitor students' use of tools and equipment.
- Administer oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and to evaluate training effectiveness.
- Provide individualized instruction and tutorial or remedial instruction.
- Prepare reports and maintain records, such as student grades, attendance rolls, and training activity details.
Skills
- Learning Strategies
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on learning strategies and instructing.
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 2.1 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SIR takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Automotive Instructor
- Automotive Technology Instructor
- Cosmetology Instructor
- Flight Instructor
- HVAC-R Instructor (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, And Refrigeration Instructor)
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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.