What are Nontraditional Careers?

The U.S. Department of Labor defines Nontraditional Occupations (NTOs) as occupations or fields of work for which individuals from one gender comprise less than 25% of the individuals employed in each such occupation or field of work.

Why consider NTC's?
There are many benefits to choosing a nontraditional career.

Women

• Economic self-sufficiency
• Higher wages - NTOs pay 20-30% more than jobs traditional held by women.
• Better benefits Physical challenges in many jobs
• Broader job opportunities
• Advancement potential
• Job satisfaction

Men

• Opportunities for advancement in an area of interest
• Fulfilling work
• Opportunity for adventure
• Broader job opportunities
• Job satisfaction

About Nontrad

In 2007, The California Department of Education (CDE) funded the San Diego County Office of Education to provide statewide technical assistance in instructional strategies and resources for recruiting, retaining and promoting the achievement of nontraditional learners for secondary educators and their workforce partners. Nontraditional careers are those occupations or fields of work including careers in compute science, technology, and other current and emerging high skill occupations for which individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individual employed. A detailed list of these careers is posted at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/pk/documents/nontrad.xls.

As part of this work, the California Department of Education (CDE) funded San Diego County Office of Education to revise and monitor an on-line course called Nontraditional Careers for Educators 101 that was originally created by the Sacramento County Office of Education. This course was created pursuant to a grant with the California Department of Education, High School Leadership Division, Office of Workforce Development (now, Secondary, Postsecondary and Adult Leadership Division) through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998.

The goal of the course  is to help educators comprehend the needs of individuals pursing nontraditional occupations. All materials are available at no cost with no permission required for their use. Certificates of Completion are also available for educators pursuing professional development hours.

An advanced course called Nontrad 102 is also available. It was initially created by the Sacramento County Office of Education and has been revised by the San Diego County Office of Education. This course provides information on LMI-Labor Market Information, Vocational Assessments, Media Influences, Academic Support, Support Systems for Nontraditional Students and more.

Partners

California Department of Education (CDE)

The California Department of Education (CDE) has funded the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) to develop and monitor online courses to support Nontraditional Career choices. These courses were created pursuant to a grant with the California Department of Education, Secondary, Postsecondary and Adult Leadership Division through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998.

Visit the CDE website at: www.cde.ca.gov

Additional CDE Program Partners

In the area of Civil Rights, Dr. Mary Gallet, CTE Consultant/MOA, Coordinator at the California Department of Education at (916-445-5723) or email mgallet@cde.ca.gov is currently the state representative for Special Populations/Perkins and MOA-for Civil Rights across Career Technical EducationPrograms.

Joint Special Populations Statewide Advisory Committee (JSPAC)

The Joint Special Populations Statewide Advisory Committee (JSPAC), is part of a joint effort between the California Department of Education and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to develop the academic, vocational and technical skills of secondary and postsecondary SPECIAL POPULATION students who elect to enroll in vocational and technical education programs.Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act (VTEA) of 1998 State Leadership funding supports the ongoing efforts of the JSPAC in their efforts to:

1. Identify and disseminate specialized curriculum materials and resources to support services to Special Populations. Such materials can include books, videos, software, and other materials designated for students or to support professional development;

2. Expand linkages with other programs for which equity and service to Special Populations is mandated by funding sources and for which that service is critical to program success; share information on best practices; coordinate and leverage resources to maximize the number of students who can be served; and incorporate the expertise, resources, and support those having a stake in assuring all students succeed in school and the workforce, including business and labor, and community-based organizations;

3. Continue to expand the strong relationship between the CCCCO and CDE in service to students who are members of special populations and involve other Special Populations staffing in all Perkins VTEA planning and implementation; and

4. Create linkages with other state and federal agencies serving the identified Special Populations and offer jointly developed professional development and technical assistance opportunities.

Visit the JSPAC website at: http://www.jspac.org