The Colorado Department of Education

Offices | Staff Contacts | Colorado.gov

Career & Technical Authorization/Credential
General Information

    CTE Definitions

    CTE Clusters/Pathways

    CTE Crosswalk

    CTE Directors

    CTE Evaluation/Requirement Worksheets

Endorsement

An endorsement is equivalent to a credential. It is the content area that attaches to your CTE Authorization, Professional license, Initial license or Interim Authorization.

Initial CTE Authorization

This CTE authorization is available to applicants who have not completed all of the content required for Colorado’s approved professional program (Professional CTE Authorization). This authorization will only be issued one (1) time per applicant’s lifetime. The requirements to be completed for a five-year professional CTE endorsement/credential include, but are not limited to:

  • Principles of Career and Technical Educational including student organization and cooperative career and Technical Education
  • Methods of teaching including evaluation and instructional aids
  • Student teaching in an approved Career and Technical program
  • Career and Technical Education administration or administration of cooperative programs or educational administration
  • Career and Technical or educational supervision
  • Organization of Career and Technical education and school management
  • Integration of academic and Career and Technical education and technical prep methods

Occupational Experience

The hours of related verified, paid experience in the area that the CTE authorization is being applied. Specific requirement hours are dependant on Pathway selected.

Pathway

Broad groupings of careers that share similar characteristics and whose employment requirements call for many competencies.

Professional Credential

This endorsement/credential is available to applicants who have completed, specific to the Pathway, the required content in Colorado’s approved professional program.

Reinstatement of a Credential

If the endorsement/credential is less than two years expired, the requirements printed on the credential apply. If the endorsement/credential is greater than two years expired, the requirements printed on the credential apply and also include an additional 1,000 hours of related occupational experience.

Renewal Requirements of Professional Credential

Specific, individual requirements are listed on the Professional Credential (i.e. six (6) semester hours renewal credit, occupational hours, specialized training or licensing, etc.)

Requirements for Transfer from an Initial to a Professional Authorization

Specific, individual requirements are listed on the Initial Credential (i.e. classes for content in Colorado’s approved professional program, occupational hours, specialized training or licensing, etc.).

Semester Hour

Used only for renewing a professional credential. As a substitution for successfully completing renewal coursework, fifteen (15) participation hours in a seminar or workshop will be considered equivalent to one (1) semester credit hour. Additionally, 15 hours of occupational experience will be considered equivalent to one (1) semester credit hour.

Secondary Credentialing/Endorsement Requirements

Each of the secondary credentials/endorsements has specific criteria that must be met prior to issuance. Below are the Career Clusters that the Colorado Community College System has established. Also listed are the specialty credentials/endorsements. Please select a Cluster to view the pathways and the requirements for each.

Cluster and Pathway Areas

Requirement Worksheets for each CTE Authorization can be found by clicking on the blue hyperlinks below.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

  • Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources to include:
    • Agribusiness Systems Pathway
    • Animal Science Pathway
    • Environmental Service Systems Pathway
    • Food Products and Processing Systems Pathway
    • Natural Resources Pathway
    • Plant Science Pathway
    • Power, Structural and Technical Systems Pathway
  • Energy to include:
    • Energy Research Pathway
    • Fossil Energy Production, Transmission, & Distribution Pathway
    • Production Process Technology Pathway
    • Renewable Energy Production Pathway

Business and Public Administration

  • Business to include:
    • All Finance:
    • Accounting Pathway
    • Banking Services Pathway
    • Corporate Finance Pathway
    • Insurance Pathway
    • Securities and Investments Pathway
    • All Government and Public Administration:
    • Foreign Service Pathway
    • Governance Pathway
    • Legal Services Pathway
    • Planning Pathway
    • Public Management and Administration
    • Regulation Pathway
    • Revenue & Taxation Pathway
    • All Management & Administration
    • Administrative Services Pathway
    • Business Information Technology Pathway
    • Corporate/General Management Pathway
    • Human Resource Management Pathway
    • Operations Management Pathway
  • Marketing to include:
    • Marketing Communications Pathway
    • Marketing Management Pathway
    • Marketing Research Pathway
    • Merchandising Pathway
    • Professional Sales/ Sales Management Pathway
  • Business/Marketing

Health Sciences & Public Safety

Hospitality, Human Services & Education

Skilled Trades & Technical Sciences

STEM, Arts, Design & Information Technology

Specialty Areas

 

 

 

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