Occupational Clusters
Occupational clusters
are groups of related occupations that have similar job requirements or worker attributes. Schools sometimes group together these occupations as a means of emphasizing vocational and academic skills that are necessary for related occupations.Grubb, Davis, Lum, Phihal, and Morgaine (1991) describe how one vocational high school uses occupational clusters to structure the curriculum:
"The school eliminated conventional departments and organized faculty and students into four occupational clusters: a communications and transportation cluster, including the traditional automotive programs and machine trades as well as graphic arts and commercial art; a construction cluster, including the building trades; a service cluster encompassing cosmetology, health, distributive education, horticulture, and food service; and a technical cluster including chemical technology, electronics, data processing and drafting. Each student takes vocational courses within each cluster in addition to the usual complement of academic courses required for graduation." (p. 53)