Technical Skills Attainment & Industry Recognized Credential

Request for Industry Recognized Credentials (IRCs) and Stackable Credentials 2020

The window for submitting an application requesting consideration of a credential as an Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) is now open.  Applications will be accepted until close of business on May 30, 2020. Applications must be submitted by a Missouri public school administrator via the protocol provided. No other application formats will be accepted or reviewed. Applications will be reviewed by a team of Career and Technical Education experts in June and schools will be notified of new IRCs by September 1, 2020.  The IRC/Stackable Credential application can be found at this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IRC-Stackable

NEW for 2020: Identification of Stackable Credentials
Beginning in school year 2020-2021, students earning two stackable credentials in a program area will have the same effect on a district's APR as earning an IRC. Our current working definition of a stackable credential is: 

A series of aligned, recognized, preferred, and/or required credentials (stackable) within an industry or sector that support an individual’s ability to obtain related, career employment.

Examples of a stackable credential might include Basic Life Support (BLS), OSHA 10, ServSafe®, Forklift Operator or Commercial Driver's License (CDL). These credentials alone do not indicate concentration in a CTE program, but two or more of these types of credentials, that are aligned to a specific CTE program area, indicate the student has earned preferred credentials. 

Guidance for Selecting IRCs and TSAs

New IRC and TSA Guidance 
(Updated 02/28/2020)

IRC Summary
(Updated 11/19/2019)

Career Clusters

The National Career Clusters® Framework provides an organizational structure for framing CTE programs through well-developed programs of study. There are 16 Career Clusters and 79 Career Pathways in the National Career Clusters® Framework.  The Career Clusters include:  

• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
• Architecture & Construction
• Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
• Business Management & Administration
• Education & Training
• Finance
• Government & Public Administration
• Health Science
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
• Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

More information can be found on the National Career Clusters® Framework website.