Add a CTE Vocational Code (VCODE)

Vocational Codes (VCODES) are connected to Career and Technical Education (CTE) Initial and Continuing certificates. They can be added through CTE Plan 1 or Plan 2, and determine which CTE courses a teacher is approved to teach. OSPI reviews a teacher’s education or work experience to decide which VCODES they qualify for. 

CTE Plan 1: University Route

The University Route is for adding Agriculture Education, Business and Marketing Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, or Technology Education, and must meet the following:

Requirements

• Must complete any state's approved CTE program in one of the four broad endorsement areas: Agriculture Education, Business and Marketing Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, or Technology Education  
  • CTE University Certification Route Programs 
• Must verify 2,000 hours of occupational industry experience in the subject area other than teaching in the past ten years (Non-Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075V).
  • Please Note: If all or part of the 2,000 hours is over ten years old, candidates must complete an additional 300 hours of recent (occurring in the last two years) occupational experience, which can be volunteer hours in the CTE subject area. Volunteer hours can only be used for the 300 hours of recent industry experience.
    • Family and Consumer Science Ed Note: Teaching experience may be used for the 2,000 hours of experience.
• Must complete a basic skills test (WEST-B or approved alternative) 
  • Teacher Testing Assessments
• Submit application (Adding a VCODE Application Form 407A-1) with $52 processing fee.

CTE Plan 2: Business and Industry Route

The Business & Industry route is for adding specialty area(s) to an existing CTE Initial/Continuing certificate using experience only. This does not include Agriculture Ed, Business and Marketing Ed, Family and Consumer Science Ed, and Technology Ed (see CTE Plan 1). To add a VCODE using experience only, educators will need to meet the following: 

Requirements

• Must verify 6,000 hours of industry experience in the past ten years for each VCODE requested (Non-Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075V).​​​​​​

  • The applicant may use up to 4,000 hours of teaching experience in the CTE subject area and 2,000 hours of occupational experience (non-teaching) in the past ten years (Teaching Experience Verification Form 4075H)

    • Please Note: If all or part of the 2,000 hours is over ten years old, candidates must complete an additional 300 hours of recent (occurring in the last two years) occupational experience, which can be volunteer hours in the CTE subject area. Volunteer hours can only be used for the 300 hours of recent industry experience.

      • Biomedical Science and Health Science Biotechnology Note: After completing the CTE Plan 2 program, applicants may use all 6,000 hours of teaching experience in biology. 

      • STEM Hours Note: After completing the CTE Plan 2 program, applicants may use all 6,000 hours of teaching experience in science, technology, engineering, and math. 

• Submit application (Adding a VCODE Application Form 407A-1) with $52 processing fee.