Wisconsin's career and technical education system serves approximately 195,000 secondary students through programs offered in school districts across the state. Wisconsin's CTE programs are organized around six career clusters that encompass the 16 national career clusters, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and information technology.
Wisconsin's CTE system is distinctive for its deep integration with the state's renowned technical college system, which includes 16 technical colleges serving all regions of the state. These institutions provide seamless postsecondary pathways for CTE completers and offer extensive dual enrollment and transcripted credit opportunities that allow high school students to earn college credit through CTE courses.
The state's Academies of Excellence and Youth Apprenticeship programs are national models for career-connected learning. Wisconsin's Youth Apprenticeship program, one of the most extensive in the nation, places thousands of students annually in paid work-based learning experiences with local employers, combining classroom instruction with hands-on industry training.
Standards & Alignment
Wisconsin's CTE programs follow state-developed standards that define the career-ready practices and technical competencies students should develop in each career cluster. These standards are organized around the state's six career clusters and are developed with input from industry, education, and workforce development stakeholders.
The state integrates CTE standards with Wisconsin Academic Standards and emphasizes the development of career-ready practices that cut across all career areas. Wisconsin also requires CTE programs to align with industry standards and to provide opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized credentials and transcripted postsecondary credit.
Key Challenges
Wisconsin faces challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified CTE teachers, particularly in manufacturing, healthcare, and technology fields where private sector demand for skilled workers is high. The state has implemented alternative licensure pathways and is working to create more accessible routes from industry to the classroom.
Rural districts in Wisconsin often struggle to offer comprehensive CTE programs due to small enrollments and limited resources. While partnerships with technical colleges help expand offerings, not all students have convenient access to these resources. The state is also addressing equity concerns, working to increase CTE participation and success among students of color, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students.
Struggling with these challenges in Wisconsin?
Perkins V in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's Perkins V state plan emphasizes strengthening career pathways, expanding work-based learning, and improving CTE program quality and equity. The plan builds on the state's successful Youth Apprenticeship model and seeks to expand such opportunities to more students and industry sectors.
Key priorities include increasing the number of CTE concentrators who earn industry-recognized credentials or postsecondary credits, expanding the Youth Apprenticeship program, and strengthening the use of labor market data in CTE program planning. Wisconsin's plan also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive local needs assessments in driving program improvement and ensuring equitable access.
Wisconsin CTE Resources
Essential links for CTE educators and administrators in Wisconsin.
State CTE Agency
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Career and Technical Education
Official CTE division of the Wisconsin Department of Education
Course Standards & Frameworks
Wisconsin CTE Course Standards
State-approved standards, course sequences, and pathway frameworks
National Profile
Wisconsin on Advance CTE
Enrollment data, Perkins funding, and state comparisons
How Sage Helps Wisconsin CTE Programs
AI-Powered Curriculum
Generate standards-aligned lesson plans in minutes, not months
Wisconsin Standards Built In
Pre-loaded with Wisconsin's CTE standards and frameworks
Teacher Customization
Teachers personalize content while maintaining standards alignment
Ongoing Updates
Curriculum stays current as Wisconsin standards and industry needs evolve
"Together with Sage, we're rewriting the future — accelerating timelines, giving teachers precious time to focus on students, and helping schools retain and support the passionate educators who make it all possible."
Lynne Wilson
CTE Director, CTAERN
Frequently Asked Questions
Wisconsin offers CTE programs across 16 career clusters. These programs provide students with hands-on career preparation aligned with industry needs.
Wisconsin aligns CTE curriculum with industry standards through a comprehensive process that includes working with industry advisory boards, mapping to state and national standards, and regularly updating programs to reflect current workplace requirements. This ensures students graduate with relevant, job-ready skills.
Perkins V is federal funding that supports Career Technical Education programs in Wisconsin. This funding helps schools purchase equipment, develop curriculum, provide professional development for teachers, and ensure CTE programs meet quality standards that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage careers.
Sage uses AI to help Wisconsin educators build standards-aligned CTE curriculum in weeks instead of months. Our platform generates customized lesson plans, assessments, and resources tailored to Wisconsin standards, saving teachers countless hours while ensuring high-quality, industry-aligned content.
Explore Other States
Illinois
ILIllinois operates a large and diverse CTE system that serves students through comprehensive high schools, area career centers, community colleges, and regional delivery systems. The state organizes its CTE programs around career clusters and pathways aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and the national Career Clusters Framework, with particular strength in manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture. The Illinois CTE system reflects the state's economic diversity, from the advanced financial services and technology sectors of the Chicago metropolitan area to the agricultural and manufacturing base of central and southern Illinois. The state supports CTE through multiple funding streams, including dedicated state CTE funding and federal Perkins dollars administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. Illinois has been a leader in the Midwest in developing career pathway systems that connect secondary CTE with community college programs and four-year institutions, creating clear routes from high school through credentials and degrees into careers. The state's Education Career Pathway models provide frameworks for building these connections across regions.
MidwestIowa
IAIowa's Career and Technical Education system is organized through a strong partnership between the Iowa Department of Education and the state's 15 community college regions, which serve as the primary delivery mechanism for both secondary and postsecondary CTE. This regional model ensures that CTE programming is connected to local labor market needs while maintaining statewide quality standards. The state organizes its CTE programs around six service areas that correspond to broad career fields: Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Business, Finance, Marketing and Management; Health Science; Human Services; Applied Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing; and Information Solutions. Iowa's CTE system is deeply connected to the state's economic strengths in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, insurance and financial services, and renewable energy. Iowa has been a leader in the Midwest in developing secondary-postsecondary CTE partnerships, with extensive concurrent enrollment and articulation agreements that allow high school students to earn college credits in CTE courses. The state's Regional Planning Partnership model brings together secondary schools, community colleges, employers, and economic development organizations to plan and coordinate CTE programming.
MidwestMichigan
MIMichigan's Career and Technical Education system is deeply intertwined with the state's industrial heritage and evolving economic landscape. As a state historically defined by advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry, Michigan has developed CTE programs that reflect both its traditional strengths and emerging sectors like mobility technology, cybersecurity, and clean energy. The state delivers CTE through a combination of local school districts, career technical education centers, and intermediate school districts that serve regional communities. Michigan's CTE system serves students at both the secondary and postsecondary levels, with strong articulation pathways connecting high school programs to community colleges and universities. Michigan has been proactive in modernizing its CTE offerings, launching initiatives like the Michigan Career Pathways Alliance to strengthen connections between education and industry. The state's Going PRO campaign has helped elevate the perception of skilled trades and technical careers, addressing workforce shortages in critical sectors.
MidwestMinnesota
MNMinnesota operates a robust Career and Technical Education system that leverages the state's diverse economy and strong tradition of educational excellence. The state's CTE programs serve students in secondary schools and postsecondary institutions across all 87 counties, with a focus on preparing learners for careers in high-demand fields. The state benefits from a dynamic economy anchored by major industries including healthcare, technology, agriculture, manufacturing, and financial services. Minnesota's CTE programs are designed to connect students with these employment opportunities through structured career pathways and extensive work-based learning experiences. Minnesota has been a leader in developing articulation agreements between secondary and postsecondary CTE programs, creating seamless transitions for students moving from high school into technical colleges, community colleges, and universities. The state's strong network of two-year institutions provides accessible postsecondary pathways for CTE graduates throughout the state.
MidwestReady to Transform CTE in Wisconsin?
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