With thousands of different occupations for job seekers and students to choose
from, it’s important to use a meaningful way to organize occupations for career
exploration. The career cluster initiative organizes occupations based on their
commonalities, like skills and industry needs.
In partnership with Minnesota's Career ant Technical Education initiatives (Perkins),
MnCareers organizes its occupations within six broad career fields. These career
fields are subdivided into 16 career clusters and 81 pathways:
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
 Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Business, Management & Administration
 Business, Management, and Administration
 Finance
 Hospitality and Tourism
 Marketing, Sales, and Service
Communications & Information Systems
 Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications
 Information Technology
Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology
 Architecture and Construction
 Manufacturing
 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
 Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
Health Science Technology
 Health Science
Human Services
 Education and Training
 Government and Public Administration
 Human Services
 Law, Public Safety, and Security
Clusters are further broken down into more than 80 pathways in Minnesota. Career pathways are small
groups of occupations within a career cluster. Occupations within a pathway share common skills,
knowledge, and interests. For example, the Architecture and Construction career cluster has three
pathways: Construction, Design and Pre-Construction, Maintenance and Operations. The graphic on page
54 and the cluster descriptions on pages 55-60 have more information.
Why are career fields, clusters and pathways important?
Career clusters provide a tool for exploration. Occupations with similar characteristics are grouped
together so students and job seekers can explore how their interests and skills fit several pathways and
occupations.
It is not easy to prepare students for tomorrow’s jobs. Technological advances and global competition have
created a dynamic world of work. Students must continually update their knowledge and skills to compete.
Counselors and teachers must find ways for students to understand the connections between what they
learn and school with their futures. Career clusters provide this connection by highlighting pathways from
secondary school to college and careers.
Resources for using career clusters with clients and students:
www.iseek.org/careers/counselor-resources.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 52
Minnesota’s Career Cluster Initiative
The Career and Technical Education unit and the Minnesota
Department of Education brings together professionals from both
inside and outside the system, to use the Carl D. Perkins federal funds
to improve Career and Technical Education within the Minnesota State
Colleges and Universities system, and build, with its partners,
opportunities to enter high skill, high wage, and high demand
employment in Minnesota. See page 184 for more information.
Guiding Principles
1. No longer are Career and Technical Education (CTE) housed in separate silos.
2. College and Work Readiness skills are one and the same.
3. Each student needs at least some education or advanced training past high school whether 2-year
college, 4-year university, industry certification, or advanced training through work.
4. Federal Perkins Funding for career and technical education is not an entitlement at either the state
or local level.
5. All education spending must be connected with student success outcomes.
6. High schools and colleges must continue to implement that which has worked well and improve on
areas of need.
7. CTE must be strategically placed within the broader vision, mission and goals for education within
the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota’s career and educational exploration product developers support CTE initiatives by adopting the
career cluster framework. MnCareers, ISEEK and MCIS organize occupations within the six career fields
and 16 career clusters. See page 61 for additional information on how these products have implemented
career fields, clusters, and pathways.
www.iseek.org/mnpos/
www.cte.mnscu.edu
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 53
Minnesota Career Fields, Clusters & Pathways Chart
Download this "wheel" in PDF at:
www.iseek.org/iseek/static/pathways.pdf
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 54
Career Field: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Within the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources field there is one cluster:
Cluster Description
Agriculture, food, and natural resources workers produce agricultural goods. This includes food, plants, animals,
fabrics, wood, and crops.
Pathways
 Agribusiness Systems
 Animal Systems
 Environmental Service Systems
 Food Products and Processing Systems
 Natural Resources Systems
 Plant Systems
 Power
 Structural and Technical Systems
www.iseek.org/careers/agriculture.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 55
Career Field: Business, Management & Administration
Within the Business, Management & Administration field there are four clusters:
Cluster Description
Business, management, and administrative workers give the support needed to
make a business run.





Pathways
Administrative Support
Business Information Management
Human Resources Management
General Management
Operations Management
www.iseek.org/careers/business.html
Cluster Description
Finance workers keep track of money. You might work in financial planning, banking or insurance.
Pathways
 Accounting
 Banking Services
 Business Finance
 Insurance
 Securities and Investments
www.iseek.org/careers/finance.html
Cluster Description
Hospitality and tourism workers help people enjoy vacations and entertainment
activities.
Pathways
 Lodging
 Recreation, Amusements and Attractions
 Restaurants and Food and Beverage Services
 Travel and Tourism
www.iseek.org/careers/hospitality.html
Cluster Description
Marketing, sales and service workers help businesses sell products.
Pathways
 Marketing Communications
 Marketing Management
 Market Research
 Merchandising
 Professional Sales
www.iseek.org/careers/marketing.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 56
Career Field: Communications & Information Systems
Within the Communications & Information Systems field there are two clusters:
Cluster Description
Arts, audio/video technology, and communications workers use creativity and their talents on the job. You might
work for an audience as a performer or artist.
Pathways
 Audio and Video Technology and Film
 Journalism and Broadcasting
 Performing Arts
 Printing Technology
 Telecommunications, Visual Arts
www.iseek.org/careers/arts.html
Cluster Description
Information technology workers deal with computer hardware, software, multimedia or network systems.
Pathways
 Information Support and Services
 Network Systems
 Programming and Software Development
 Web and Digital Communication
www.iseek.org/careers/it.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 57
Career Field: Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology
Within the Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology field there are four clusters:
Cluster Description
Architecture and construction workers work on buildings and other structures.
This includes highways, bridges, houses, and buildings.
Pathways
 Construction
 Design and Pre-construction
 Maintenance and Operations
www.iseek.org/careers/architecture.html
Cluster Description
Manufacturing workers work with products and equipment. You might design a new product, decide how the product
will be made, or make the product.
Pathways
 Health, Safety and Environmental Assurance
 Logistics and Inventory Control
 Maintenance, Installation and Repair
 Manufacturing Production Process Development
 Production
 Quality Assurance
www.iseek.org/careers/manufacturing.html
Cluster Description
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workers do scientific research in laboratories or the field.
Others plan or design products and systems.
Pathways
 Engineering and Technology
 Science and Mathematics
www.iseek.org/careers/stem.html
Cluster Description
Transportation, distribution, and logistics workers move people and products by road, air, rail and water.
Pathways
 Facility and Mobile Equipment Maintenance
 Health, Safety and Environmental Management
 Logistics Planning and Management Services
 Sales and Service
 Transportation Operations
 Transportation Systems/Infrastructure Planning, Management and Regulation
 Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations
www.iseek.org/careers/transportation.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 58
Career Field: Health Science Technology
Within the Health Science field there is one cluster:
Cluster Description
Health science workers promote health and wellness. They diagnose and treat injuries and disease.
Pathways
 Biotechnology Research and Development
 Diagnostic Services
 Supportive Services
 Health Informatics
 Therapeutic Services
www.iseek.org/careers/health.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 59
Career Field: Human Services
Within the Human Services field there are four clusters:
Description
Education and training workers guide and train people.
Pathways
 Administration and Administrative Support
 Professional Support Services
 Teaching and Training
www.iseek.org/careers/education.html
Description
Government and public administration workers help pass and enforce the law. You could work in national,
state or local government.
Pathways
 Foreign Service
 Governance
 National Security
 Planning
 Public Management and Administration
 Regulation, Revenue and Taxation
www.iseek.org/careers/government.html
Description
Human services workers help individual and families meet their personal needs.
Pathways
 Consumer Services
 Counseling and Mental Health Services
 Early Childhood Development and Services
 Family and Community Services
 Personal Care Services
www.iseek.org/careers/humanservices.html
Description
Law, public safety, corrections, and security workers guard the public and enforce the law as police officers or
security guards, or provide fire protection and other services.
Pathways
 Correction Services
 Emergency and Fire Management Services
 Enforcement Services
 Legal Services
 Security and Protection Services
www.iseek.org/careers/law.html
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 60
Using Career Clusters with MnCareers, ISEEK and MCIS
Minnesota has responded to the career cluster initiative by reorganizing its main career and educational exploration
products — MnCareers, MCIS, and ISEEK — into the career field, cluster and pathway organization. Read below for
specific product details.
MnCareers divided its 200 occupation descriptions into 16 career clusters. The clusters are listed alphabetically in
the publication.
Each cluster includes a variety of details, including:
• Description
• Related classes
• Ways to explore the cluster
• Typical activities on the job
• Skill requirements
• Job outlook
• Specific occupations within the cluster
• Additional resources
• Alternative job titles
www.iseek.org/mncareers/index.html
MCIS has occupational information on over 500 different occupations. They have these occupations organized
within the six career fields and 16 career clusters.
MCIS offers a variety of new field and cluster information:
• Dynamic career fields, clusters and pathways graphic for occupation exploration
• Graduation requirements by career field
• Postsecondary expectations by career field
• Occupations by career field
• Programs of study by career field
• Helpful high school courses by career cluster
• Helpful activities by career cluster
http://mncis.intocareers.org/
Because some of ISEEK’s occupational information is provided by MCIS,
you will find much of the same career field and cluster information on
ISEEK that you will on MCIS.
ISEEK continues to organize occupations for exploration within the 16
career clusters and 81 pathways, as well as provide information for
counselors and teachers using the cluster framework.
www.iseek.org
2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide
Page 61