The mission of Career-Technical Education is to help empower students for effective participation in an international economy as world-class workers and citizens. Programs in Career-Technical Education are designed to contribute to the broad educational achievement of students, including basic skills such as reading, writing and mathematics, as well as their ability to work independently and as part of a team, think creatively and solve problems, and utilize technology.

Hundreds of thousands of North Carolina young people get their start each year in exciting and rewarding careers through secondary Career-Technical Education (CTE) courses. Whether students plan to further their education in community colleges, technical schools, or four-year colleges and universities, receive on-the-job training, or pursue careers in the military, secondary Career-Technical Education can be the first step in a pathway toward productive employment and citizenship.