Career and technical education (CTE), sometimes referred to as vocational education, provides occupational and non-occupational preparation at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult education levels. As defined in a publication by the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CTE prepares students for roles outside the paid labor market, teaches general employment skills, and teaches skills required in specific occupations or careers. The definition distinguishes CTE from liberal arts or academic education: the fine arts, English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, and the humanities. A CTE curriculum is often designed to have a post-education practical application and develop broadly applicable skills. Academic educational courses are often designed to develop subject matter knowledge and broadly applicable skills. The federal government has a long history of supporting workforce development, which includes career and technical education (CTE). The First Morrill Act of 1862 (7 U.S.C. §301 et. seq.) supported the development of the current system of land-grant colleges to teach the agricultural and mechanical arts to the "industrial classes." Federal funding for vocational education was initiated with the passing of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. In 1917, vocational education was termed "vital to national defense and prosperity." The Manpower Development and Training Act of 1962 (MDTA; P.L. 87-415) was intended to prepare individuals for employment who could not reasonably be expected to secure full-time employment without training. MDTA was expected to address high unemployment by retraining individuals with obsolete skills to suit rapidly advancing technology. The 1963 Vocational Education Act (P.L. 88-210) supported vocational education schools; vocational work-study programs; and research, training, and demonstration programs related to vocational education. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), there were 34 federal programs in FY2009 that provided occupational or vocational training as a primary service. These included programs authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV; P.L. 109-270 ) and administered by the Department of Education (ED); the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, administered by the Department of Labor (DOL); Workforce Investment Act programs for Dislocated Workers and Youth Activities, administered by DOL; Indian Employment Assistance programs, administered by the Department of the Interior (DOI); and Refugee and Entrant Assistance programs, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As the unemployment rate remains higher than at the onset of the latest recession in December 2007, Congress has highlighted the need to more effectively support workforce development in order to reduce unemployment and the associated economic and social issues. This report provides a primer on CTE to support the workforce development discussion. The first section provides an overview of CTE including the methods used by practitioners to organize CTE according to the labor market's structure, the role of business and student organizations, and the intended outcomes of CTE. The subsequent sections describe the nature of CTE at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult education levels. The final section presents data on the financial benefits of some CTE credentials for students. CTE is offered by a variety of institutions: high schools, area CTE centers, community colleges, vocational schools, and employers through apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Generally, CTE occupations require two years or less of postsecondary education or training. Therefore, at the two-year and less-than-two-year postsecondary education levels, CTE encompasses most fields other than the liberal arts. CTE integrates various aspects of knowledge from the liberal arts toward a practical or applied purpose. For example, CTE provides preparation in homemaking and a variety of occupations, such as nursing, business administration, culinary arts, automotive maintenance, software programming, engineering technology, and cosmetology. The following subsections highlight key facets of CTE. The scope of CTE coursework is organized into career clusters and career pathways to facilitate educational program design and resourcing and to be consistent with the business and industry sectors. The required alignment of CTE with business and industry highlights the need for collaboration between business and industry and educational providers. The goal of CTE is preparation for employment or family life, and a measure of success is the achievement of industry-recognized credentials. The final subsection describes career and technical student organizations, which serve as resources and advocates for CTE. Because of the breadth of subjects covered by CTE, practitioners have organized CTE into career clusters and career pathways to facilitate CTE program development and help students understand the related opportunities. Career clusters contain occupations that are in the same field of work and require similar skills. Thus, a broad curriculum framework for academic and technical instruction is developed around each career cluster to support the preparation of high school students for postsecondary education, employment in a career area, or both. The career clusters were developed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and various stakeholders. Their development was informed by state educational agencies (SEAs), secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, employers, industry groups, other stakeholders, and federal agencies. There are 16 career clusters. The Appendix demonstrates the scope and breadth of CTE, organized by career cluster. For example, the agriculture, food , and natural resources career cluster comprises the development of agricultural products, including plants, animals, food, textiles, and other consumer products. Because even a single career cluster covers several areas, they are further disaggregated into career pathways. Career pathways generally refer to a series of connected education and training strategies and support services that enable individuals to secure industry relevant certification and obtain employment within an occupational area and to advance to higher levels of future education and employment in that area. For example, the agriculture, food, and natural resources career cluster is divided into seven career pathways: food products and processing systems; power, structural, and technical systems; plant systems; natural resource systems; animal systems; environmental service systems; and agribusiness systems. The Appendix includes the related career pathways for each career cluster. States use career clusters to inform education reform at the secondary and postsecondary levels and to enhance economic development. As of 2012, 94% of states and territories had either adopted career clusters or had adapted their own framework from the 16 career clusters. Schools can focus on a limited number of career clusters in order to maximize resource efficiency. For example, schools and school districts use the career clusters and pathways to organize small learning communities and career academies. The requisite environment, context, resources, and equipment for a single cluster may be resource intensive. Since career clusters help convert labor market information into useable career information, career guidance and academic counseling programs use the career clusters to help students and parents understand and explore broad career pathways within and among the career clusters. Students can choose a career cluster in which to explore or specialize while gaining valuable, related skills. Federal agencies also use career clusters and pathways. The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) categorizes occupations according to the career clusters in its O*NET database, which is the nation's primary source of occupational information. ED classifies instructional programs and courses of study according to the career clusters. In 2012, ED, DOL, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reiterated their joint commitment to promoting the use of career pathways "as a promising strategy to help adults acquire marketable skills and industry-recognized credentials through better alignment of education, training and employment, and human and social services among public agencies and with employers." CTE providers often collaborate with industry and business to develop programs and to ensure curriculum relevance and employable graduates. For example, community colleges offer customized training to employees of a specific business based on the specific curriculum requirements of that business. Businesses lend employees to provide course instruction at educational institutions or lend equipment. Industry representatives may act as consultants or advisors in curriculum development and improvement. In addition, businesses may provide internships or other work-based learning (WBL) opportunities to CTE students. One result of collaboration with business and industry is the development of industry-recognized credentials (IRCs). IRCs establish a set of competencies, skills, and/or knowledge that is recognized as necessary or desired for a particular occupation by the relevant industry. "Within the context of education, workforce development, and employment and training for the labor market," DOL defines "the term credential [as] a verification of qualification or competence issued to an individual by a third party with the relevant authority or jurisdiction to issue such credentials (such as an accredited educational institution, an industry recognized association, or an occupational association or professional society)." Some IRCs are required to work in an occupation, while others may increase income or employability in the occupation. There are different types of IRCs and different requirements. IRCs include postsecondary degrees, postsecondary certificates, licenses, certifications, and Registered Apprenticeship certificates. The standards may be developed by an industry, industry association, state government, or product manufacturer. IRCs may variously require a certain amount of formal classroom instruction, hands-on experience, and/or a licensing or certification test. Some IRCs are recognized nationally, while others are recognized only regionally or locally. For example, Maryland licenses and regulates individuals who practice cosmetology in the state by requiring individuals to pass an exam and prove a number of hours of training or hours of apprenticeship. Another example is the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), which certifies automotive repair personnel who pass an exam and prove a certain amount of experience. CTSOs are an important aspect of CTE. These nonprofit organizations often provide co-curricular programs to give students practical experience, instruction, and opportunities to network with industry and business leaders. The organizations are generally organized by national officers through state and local chapters.