Career Glossary

Annual Median Income: The annual income for the middle 50% of workers within a specific education level for the career field. The median incomes reported in this Guide reflect income in the DC metro area.

Career Exploration: Opportunities that expand a student’s understanding of specific employment opportunities
within an industry, including participation in industry site visits, job shadow experiences, and interactions with guest speakers.

Career Preparation: Opportunities that build a student’s skill set to succeed in a particular employment position or field, including an internship or pre-apprenticeship experience.

CTE (Career and Technical Education) Courses: Courses that help prepare students for college and career. Many but not all DCPS schools offer CTE programs.
*Note, not all students will take or are required to take CTE courses to earn a high school diploma.

Degrees & Certificates to Consider: Degrees or certificate options that a student may pursue based on education level desired. The degrees and certificates highlighted in this Guide are meant to be a starting point and do not include all options within a given field or education level.

Postsecondary Programs: Additional training or education options after high school. The programs highlighted reflect offerings within a given career field and may include certificate programs, apprenticeship programs, 2-year
colleges, and 4-year colleges. Programs that are highlighted in this Guide are meant to be a starting point and do not include all options within a given career field or education level.

Work-Based Learning (WBL): Opportunities that enhance classroom learning through workplace connections. This section in the guide highlights the number of events a student attended related to career exploration and career
preparation.
*Note, not all students will be involved in work-based learning.