Postsecondary Education & Employment Data

CTE LogoDownload/View Industry Certification Summary

Recent industry credentialing initiatives through Career and Technical Education encourage students to work toward earning an industry certification, achieving a State licensure, or passing an occupational competency assessment while pursuing a high school diploma. To graduate with a Standard Diploma, a student must earn at least 22 standard units of credit by passing required courses and electives, and earn at least six verified credits by passing end-of-course SOL tests or other assessments approved by the Board of Education. Beginning with students entering ninth grade for the first time in 2013-2014, a student must also earn a board-approved career and technical education credential to graduate with a Standard Diploma and successfully complete one virtual course, which may be non-credit bearing. The class of 2017 was the first class required to meet these new requirements. All seniors graduating with a Standard Diploma succeeded at meeting this requirement.

During the 2018-2019 school year, students in CTE classes passed 1358 licensure or certification exams. This number of 81% passing is up compared to the 1411 certifications earned in 2017-2018 with a 80% pass rate,1505 certifications earned in 2016-2017, 1471 certifications earned in 2015-2016, 1421 earned in 2014-2015, 1396 certifications earned in 2013-2014, 864 earned in 2012-2013, 466 earned in 2011-2012, 301 earned in 2010-2011, 180 earned in 2009-2010, 102 earned in 2008-2009 and 32 certifications during the 2007-2008 school year. A total of 1,677 certification or licensure exams were given to students during the school year.

Download/View Annual Performance Report by the Virginia Department of Education/CTE
Download the report linked above for information concerning (1) Academic Attainment, (2) Technical Skills Attainment, Secondary School Completion, Graduation Rate, Secondary Placement (Transition) Rate, Program Completer Response Rate, Nontraditional Career Preparation Data as well as the Annual Performance Summary.

CareerChoice Expo
The Career Choice Expo and information contained in the publication listed above provides students with an opportunity to meet with employers and explore careers.  This publication provides information regarding the largest regional employers. 

Each of the areas including, agriculture & natural resources, architecture and construction cluster, arts & communications, business management & administration,  education, finance, government, health sciences, hospitality, food & tourism, human services, information technology/computer science, law & public safety, manufacturing, marketing, STEM, and transportation, distribution & logistics provide both information regarding projected occupations as well as regional employers.

This regional Expo serves seven school divisions:  City of Danville, Halifax County, Henry County, the City of Martinsville, Mecklenburg County, Patrick County and Pittsylvania County.