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Welcome to Nontraditional Careers at The CRTC

The goal of the CRTC Equity Program is to help students recognize all career opportunities, unrestricted by gender, social or cultural expectations. We strive to improve the achievement of students and special populations in secondary programs that lead to high skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers. A nontraditional career is any occupation where males or females comprise 25 percent or less of its total employment. These careers often offer higher wages, better benefits and broader job opportunities.

Nontrad Student Survey

Click here to access the CRTC Gender Equity Survey, and help us to improve your Nontraditional student experience at the CRTC.

Reasons Why You Should Consider a Nontraditional CTE Program

  • Careers should be based on abilities and interests, not gender stereotypes
  • Women can earn up to 30% more working in nontraditional jobs
  • Over a lifetime, women in nontraditional occupations will earn 150% more than women in traditional occupations
  • There is a high demand for skilled employees in nontraditional occupations such as automotive, construction trades, nursing and computer engineering.
  • It has been found that people in nontraditional careers enjoy a high degree of job satisfaction as they are working in fields they have a genuine interest in, regardless of gender stereotypes.

How the CRTC Supports Nontraditional Students

Nontraditional Role Models:

The CRTC connects students to nontrad industry role models in ways designed to both motivate and inspire these students. Individual program efforts include bringing in nontrad professionals as classroom speakers, and connecting nontrad students and professionals for informal career pathway discussions or to form mentoring relationships.

Nontraditional Mentors:

Nontrad mentoring relationships provide nontrad students with both a glimpse and a guide into the obstacles and opportunities that exist for nontraditional professionals. Mentors can provide ongoing encouragement and foster student achievement.

Nontraditional Activities:

The CRTC actively engages nontraditional students with industry nontraditional career professionals in public events and intimate settings where nontraditional students have time to talk with, question and get to know like-minded industry people who share the challenges and rewards of being a nontraditional professional in a single-gender-dominated profession.

Nontraditional Career Fields

For Women:

  • Computer Programmer
  • Automotive Technician
  • Dentist
  • Electrician
  • Engineer
  • Chef/Head Cook
  • Architect
  • Carpenter/Woodworker
  • Welder
  • Firefighter/First Responder

For Men:

  • LNA
  • Dental Hygienist
  • Barber
  • Registered Nurse
  • Teacher
  • Child Psychologist
  • Occupational/Physical Therapist
  • Platform Artist

Nontrad Videos

Choosing a Nontrad Career

Men in Nursing

Women in Computer Engineering

Women in Auto

Men in Cosmetology

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