Trade and Industry

The trade and industry area of Career and Technical Education (CTE) is composed of four specific program areas: Communications Technology, Construction, Manufacturing and Transportation. Each program area supports career and technical education courses that are related to that career field. A specific career and technical education license is required for each program area.

Communications Technology Occupations: The communications technology occupations program supports related CTE courses such as: electricity/electronics—mechatronics, drafting—technical illustration, photography, audio and video communications, data processing, networking, web design, printing/multimedia production and other communication/information technology-related courses.
Construction Occupations: The construction occupations program supports related CTE courses such as: architectural drafting, preconstruction, construction trades (larger structure buildings), cabinet making, general woodworking and other construction-related courses.
Manufacturing Occupations: The manufacturing occupations program supports related CTE courses such as: welding, machine shop technology, mechatronics, mechanical drafting, sheet-metal occupations, computerized numerical controls and other manufacturing-related courses.
Transportation Occupations: The transportation program supports related CTE courses such as: auto mechanics, small gas engines, aviation, super mileage vehicle classes, recreational vehicle repair, motorcycle repair, auto body repair, aviation, and other transportation-related courses.

Trade and Industry Education prepares individuals for employment in a wide range of industrial occupations. This includes training for apprentice trades, technical occupations, and other industrial and service occupations. Trade and Industry Education provides preparation for entry into skilled trades and service occupations that involve designing, producing, processing, assembling, maintaining, servicing, or repairing any product or commodity. Trade and Industry Education is considered to be the broadest of all career and technical education fields.

Did you know? According to the CareerForce MN:

The Construction industry accounts for about 5% of total employment in the state, or one in every 20 jobs.
The Minnesota Transportation and Warehousing sector delivers 113,000 jobs at 6,250 establishments.
The Manufacturing industry accounts for about 11% of total employment in the state, or one in every nine jobs.
For the Information Technology industry, average annual wages were just over $74,000, which was about $4,500 above the average across all industries.

Professional Development:

Trade and Industry Professional Development Calendar - 8/30/23
Calendar of professional development opportunities for teachers of Trade and Industry programs.

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Trade Tools Job Data - 9/20/23
Department of Labor and Industry-developed resource featuring wage and education information about the most in-demand construction careers in Minnesota.
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Career Counseling Resource - 9/6/23
Department of Labor and Industry-developed resource for educators and school counselors to share with students about careers in construction and the skilled trades.
Trade and Industry Engagement - Advisory Committees - 5/1/23
Resources to assist with the development and implementation of Career and Technical Education (CTE) advisory committees for Trade and Industry programs.
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Career Information on Construction - 4/14/21
Department of Labor and Industry-developed resource with tips and ideas on how to share information on careers in construction and the skilled trades with students.
Career Development in Career and Technical Education Programs - 1/28/21
Progression of K-12 career development activities with increased individualization and career skill development.
Descriptions of Industry Engagement - 1/20/21
Provides information and descriptions of various levels of engagement activities for companies to develop and expand relationships with schools and organizations.
Sample Career Exploration Program - 1/20/21
Sample of how a company can begin and sustain a relationship with a school/district around career exploration.

Minnesota Trade and Industry Frameworks

Frameworks provide teachers in these career fields with high-quality, rigorous indicators and benchmarks to identify what students should know and be able to do after completing a program of study in any of the Trade and Industry pathways. MDE Specialist Tim Barrett is the key contact for accessing information and training on the use of these Framework tools.

Program Area Frameworks

The purpose of this Framework is to provide educators and administrators with a guide for curriculum development, assessments, program development and program approvals.

Trade and Industry Support Documents

The following resources were developed to assist with using the Trade and Industry Frameworks and ensuring the embedding of vital skills and instruction into every program area.

National Industry Standards

Here are links to different national standards concerning various Trade and Industry program areas. Many of these are tied to credentials that students can obtain or at least start learning on their way to certification:

Trade and Industry License Information - 3/14/24
Explanation of processes for obtaining a full CTE license, an out-of-field permission, and licensure via portfolio, with frequently asked questions (FAQ) on licenses and their relationship to funding.
Educational Use of Drones - 7/21/23
Guidance for drone operation within a K-12 education program.
T&I Equipment Request Resource - 7/6/22
Reference information to assist teachers and Perkins consortium leaders with completion of Perkins Equipment Requests.
Minnesota Career and Technical Education (CTE) Safety Manual - 6/29/22
Guidance and sample documents related to Career and Technical Education (CTE) school laboratory and shop safety procedures.