Career and technical education, a continuum of learning opportunities open to all students, includes awareness, exploration, and preparation.  For those students who choose to prepare for specific careers within the career and technical education structure, preparation begins in high school and often includes formal post-secondary learning experiences directly after high school. Each phase in the career and technical education continuum builds on the previous one(s) and is distinguished by its purpose and the type and intensity of learning activities.

Awareness
Career awareness education helps students to make informed occupational choices and contextualize their learning.  Its purpose is to help students learn about the world of work and careers and specific jobs.  Students learn what knowledge, skills, and dispositions are required for careers that interest them and what educational courses and programs they need to select in order to prepare themselves for that career.  Career awareness activities include: job shadowing, career interest assessments, and learning how school subjects and disciplines are used in various career areas.  A principal curriculum focus is on incorporation of generic work skills, such as SCANS and applied learning skills, in several subject areas and disciplines.

Exploration
Career exploration builds on career awareness by providing a more focused and in-depth investigation of careers and work.  Its purpose is to help students examine work and the workplace with respect to specific careers through such learning opportunities as internships, cooperative education, work study, work-based learning activities, and academies.  Exploration includes the integration of formal and informal career assessment activities that aid students in discovering their strengths, career interests, and appropriate preparation opportunities to reach their career goals.

Preparation
Career preparation in secondary education builds on awareness and exploration through the development of specific work skills needed for employment in a particular career.  Its purpose is to prepare students for careers to begin immediately after high school or which may be enhanced by post-high school formal education or advanced study in a particular field. 

These elements distinguish preparation programs from exploration and awareness:
· Students prepare for an entry-level job upon graduation.
· Students prepare for post-secondary education study in that job.
· Students devote a substantial portion of their learning time to the program of study in a particular career area.
· Students participate in a sequence of courses in multiple periods of a traditional or block schedule over multiple years.
· Students are taught by an appropriately credentialed teacher.
· Students address academic standards as an integrated part of their career preparation program.
· Students participate in a variety of work-based experiences.
· Students obtain industry certification/licensing upon successful program completion.
· Students demonstrate proficiency addressed to specific work skills through occupational proficiency testing or other means of assessment.
· Preparation programs are designed and implemented in collaboration with business, industry, and postsecondary institutions.

Career and Technical Education in Rhode Island is designed to assist youth and adults with entry-level employment and/or to take advantage of post-secondary educational opportunities.  Resources, leadership and technical assistance are provided to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), businesses and families.  The Carl D. Perkins Applied Technology Act, the Adult Literacy Act, the School-to-Career Initiative and Project Opportunity are all programs that the Rhode Island Department of Education administers to advance career and technical education. 

Through the Perkins Act, support is provided for gender-equity initiatives, programs for single parents and displaced homemakers, the incarcerated, post-secondary/adult vocational training programs, as well as extensive programs in career and technical education and articulated secondary and post-secondary Tech Prep programs for students in grades nine through twelve.