I love my Business & Industry License
"At the start of 2019, 7 million U.S. jobs remained unfilled, and American employers consistently cite trouble finding qualified workers. While some liberals insist a "skills gap" doesn't exist, all evidence points to the contrary. These gaps are moreover made worse by a higher education system that ill-equips graduates for the workforce" (Craig, 2019).
So what? What does that mean? That means that we as: parents, teachers, volunteers, etc. Need to work together to prepare our future employees. There. I said. It.
So is this me saying that we all need to go back to college to spend 4 (or 12 in my case) years to become teachers in CTE (Career & Technical Education)? Guess what? NOPE! No. Nada. Negative. Nix and Nay!
What?!? Yes, that is correct. Don't believe me? Let me tell you about a secret that until recently, was not even known. Or at least I sure as heck didn't know about it. Well, I can't say I didn't know about it, I just didn't understand it. Big surprise huh? Yes, pick yourself up from the floor from laughing.Yes, get up. Keep reading.
A few years ago a wonderful CTE teacher told me that I should get my B&I teaching license. Say what? What is that? A B&I License stands for: a Business & Industry License. Which allows for a potential teacher to teach a specific occupational subject in grades 7-12. Awesome sauce right?
Well, as all wonderful things are, there is a few tickers.
This endorsement is actually just that, an endorsement on your license. It can be within any program of career and technical education area or in ethnic dance, ethnic music, ethnic performance, dance performance or military science. Huge area huh?
This is a teaching license, however it is considered a "special license" just like an ARL (Alternate Route to Licensure License or other special type of endorsements.
Again, huh?
I found this great and somewhat makes more sense than me trying to explain this on the UNLV website:
"An individual can apply for and receive a Business & Industry teaching license if he/she has an earned high school diploma or its equivalent; has a minimum of 5 years of full-time qualifying employment after age 16 in an endorsement area; and, holds a license issued by the appropriate Nevada licensing Board (if one is required by law for employment; i.e., Nurse, Cosmetologist, etc.) in the endorsement area."
Okay so that at least covers the basics:
- Must have a HS diploma
-Must have had at least 5 years full-time working in a certain field that relates to one of the endorsement areas
-If that area requires a state license, the person applying must have an active/legit license such as a cosmetologist license (that's a class for high school, yes really!) or a nursing license.
-It doesn't say it above but due to my years in 4-H: must be able to pass a background check. Silly to add but I want to make that part very clear as well.
Whoa. Mind blown? Keep reading.
So what are other endorsement areas? Be ready to be amazed (insert magician voice):
🌱Agriculture and natural resource sciences requires industry experience in at least three (3) of the following areas: agricultural business and marketing, animal science or veterinary medicine, forestry, horticulture, floriculture, landscaping, or agricultural research.
🚘Automotive service technology requires certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence as a master automobile technician or an automobile technician in all of these four (4) areas: brakes, electrical and electronic systems, auto maintenance and light repair, and suspension and steering.
👮Military science requires certification by the Secretary of a branch of the military. This endorsement area is exempt from the U.S. Constitution requirement, the Praxis Core Academic Skills testing requirement, and the first-time renewal requirements.
🚜Construction technology requires at least 2 years of experience in carpentry and at least 1 year of industry experience in electrical, plumbing, or masonry, or a combination of all three areas.
Slow your roll there partner. ✋This does not mean if you have your B&I license that you are automatically guaranteed a job at your local high school. If it was only that easy y'all. The offerings of these programs are truly at the disposal of the Board of Trustees for that public school within Nevada. So they have the ultimate say of what is offered and where.
So after you've applied, completed your fingerprints and background check (local folks, we can do this in Mesquite at the police station, HALLELUJAH!) and submitted all of the proper paperwork that says you know your stuff within a certain industry, you'll get a lovely email saying that you've been approved. ✅
BUT Wait, there's more.
On your license you will have these little buggers called, "Provisions." Now what the heck are those? It's actually really fun. Okay maybe my idea of fun and your idea are probably a little different. However, they are cool. These are classes that are required to take that once you take them and pass, the "provision" comes off your license. These provisions (at least for mine) were some random classes. Like what the heck are these? These classes range from work-based learning to student organization management to curriculum and instruction. Yes, they sound super overwhelming. But they aren't. Well they are but they aren't. They are actual classes to help you succeed as a teacher. Say what? Yes. These classes are really great on actually giving you a hand on where and how to start to be a CTE teacher. Like no joke. I'm super lucky I had linked up with a couple of other new CTE teachers here in my area that have held my hand on this journey. They told me that the Clark County School District actually offers a bunch of these required classes FOR FREE. Free is my favorite number. Yes, we have to go to Vegas for them but the instructors are awesome at actually wanting to help you succeed. Yes. Score! They even allow for many of the "classes" to be virtual so we work on projects from home. Then we meet and discuss and network with other CTE teachers and hear what they are doing that works/helps them. Every program/school is so different. I love listening to how each school runs. There are some really cool programs within CCSD.
Anyway. Back to the process.
- You go to the Nevada Department of Education website. You create an "opal" account which is their system of application, then you work through the different parts of the application.
- Then you will have to get your fingerprints/background done. If you go onto the list of approved places to get this done you can go to our local Mesquite police station. Score! Except, heads up this part does cost money. Like I can't remember the exact amount but because it is a background check/fingerprint check, so it does cost. But I keep reminding myself, you have to spend money to make money. Or something like that...
- Make sure you've submitted the verification form. This form is really
ridiculoustedious. No, it's kinda set up funny. So I guess it is kind of ridiculous. This form is supposed to be filled out by you but also your past employer. This form says the type of job you did, how long you were there, etc. If you were self-employed, it's trickier. You have to submit a lot of tax information/forms. Which I found super confusing, especially when I wanted mine in Ag. No lie. Since a lot of my experience is in animal science/management, and we have our cow-calf operation with my in-laws. I had my father-in-law sign it since technically he is the boss man. Just ask him, I'm sure he will tell you he is. HAha. I believe I had to email back this form once I got it from my previous employers (the extension office + Spearhead cattle company). Because I knew that I wanted mine to be really focused in Agriculture, I asked that both employers on my form focus on that side of what my job consisted of: youth programming in animal science for youth, record keeping, shots given, farm management, etc. I really wish I would have known about other areas I would have asked them to say I did more heavily just to add it to my endorsements, maybe I will in the future. Such as communications, policies, business, plant science, etc. I just need to go back and re-do those ones. Because I do know what I'm talking about in those areas as well. Oh well. In the future! - Wait. Call. Wait. Call again. Yes, I feel like I did that over and over again with Nevada Department of Education because I was pretty confused on the whole thing. Especially once I got the license back with the provisions. I had no idea what/where/who to talk to. So I called the CCSD CTE office and spoke to the most wonderful people. They explained to me about these classes that CCSD offers and that there were teachers actually in my community taking them and they would help me. So that's how I actually met the new teachers in our valley for CTE. I asked for help and they helped! Seriously, I am so thankful for Mr. Linford and Chef Serrano.
- Get your license by email. Then start taking the classes.
- So I won't lie. I don't really know the exact steps that happen next. If there was a position that I was interested in nearby, I would definitely apply and try to get an interview for it. However, I am so thankful the wonderful teachers that I would be working in the same CTE program are not yet ready to retire. So for now, I have time with my babies. If you didn't want to have this time, I would strongly suggest for you to start making contacts and reaching out to possible program areas and schools that you would be interested in teaching at/in. If you are in CCSD, reach out to the CTE folks. They are super helpful and they would probably know about potential openings within the district of teachers retiring/programs starting/etc.
I really hope this helps and gives you some sort of direction. I feel like this is a secret thing that I wish more people within various industries knew about. It is really the coolest thing and I love to be able to help more adults to help more high school students. Because let's face it. They are our future. We aren't getting any younger y'all.
Love,
Lacey
Here are some helpful links:
http://www.doe.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/ndedoenvgov/content/Educator_Licensure/Apply/Business_Industry_July2016.pdf
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-389.html#NAC389Sec803
http://www.doe.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/ndedoenvgov/content/Educator_Licensure/VerificationofExperience.pdf
http://www.doe.nv.gov/Educator_Licensure/Secondary-High_School_Business_and_Industry_License/
Works Cited:
Craig, R. March 2019. "America's Skills Gap: Why it's Real and Why it Matters." https://www.progressivepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/SkillsGapFinal.pdf
Here are the Areas considered by the NAC 380.903 Areas:
1. The board of trustees of a school district may offer any of the following program areas for a program of career and technical education in a public high school:
(a) Agriculture and natural resources, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Agricultural business systems.
(2) Agricultural leadership, communication and policy.
(3) Agricultural mechanics technology.
(4) Animal science.
(5) Environmental management.
(6) Floriculture design and management.
(7) Food science technology.
(8) Landscape design and management.
(9) Natural resources and wildlife management.
(10) Ornamental horticulture greenhouse management.
(11) Veterinary science.
(b) Business and marketing education, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Accounting and finance.
(2) Administrative services.
(3) Business management.
(4) Entrepreneurship.
(5) Marketing.
(6) Sports and entertainment marketing.
(c) Education, hospitality and human services, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Baking and pastry.
(2) Cosmetology.
(3) Culinary arts.
(4) Early childhood education.
(5) Family and consumer sciences.
(6) Foods and nutrition.
(7) Hospitality and tourism.
(8) Human development.
(d) Health science and public safety, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Biomedical.
(2) Criminal justice.
(3) Dental assisting.
(4) Emergency medical technician.
(5) Emergency telecommunications.
(6) Fire science.
(7) Forensic science.
(8) Health information management.
(9) Law enforcement.
(10) Medical assisting.
(11) Nursing assistant.
(12) Pharmacy practice.
(13) Respiratory therapy.
(14) Sports medicine.
(e) Information and media technologies, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Animation.
(2) Computer science.
(3) Digital game development.
(4) Fashion, textiles and design.
(5) Graphic design.
(6) Information technology for networking.
(7) Information technology for service and support.
(8) Interior design.
(9) Photography.
(10) Radio production.
(11) Theatre technology.
(12) Video production.
(13) Web design and development.
(f) Skilled and technical sciences, which may include the following courses of study:
(1) Aerospace engineering.
(2) Architectural and civil engineering.
(3) Architectural design.
(4) Automotive service technician.
(5) Automotive technology.
(6) Aviation maintenance technician.
(7) Aviation technology.
(8) Collision repair technology.
(9) Construction technology.
(10) Diesel technology.
(11) Drafting and design.
(12) Electrical engineering.
(13) Electronic technology.
(14) Energy technologies.
(15) Environmental engineering.
(16) Furniture and cabinetmaking.
(17) Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration.
(18) Machine tool technology.
(19) Manufacturing technologies.
(20) Mechanical engineering.
(21) Mechanical technology.
(22) Metalworking.
(23) Welding technology.
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