Career and Technology Education

The following are descriptions of the Career and Technology Education certifications:

Adobe Certified Professional - Adobe Certified Professional is the industry-recognized certification that demonstrates mastery of Adobe Creative Cloud software and must-have knowledge for digital media careers. Each exam is integrated with an Adobe application and designed by experts, allowing for an authentic assessment of job-ready skills.

American Welding Society D9.1 Sheet Metal - Performance-based program certifications tests welders’ procedures used in the structural steel, petroleum pipelines, sheet metal, and chemical refinery welding industries.

American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support & Heartsaver - Training in the ability to recognize several life-threatening emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED and relieve choking in a safe, timely and effective manner.

Autodesk Certified User REVIT Architecture - An industry-recognized credential that can effectively start students’ careers as designers, engineers, and makers. It enhances students' higher ed applications and resumes by providing evidence of competency and proficiency.

Barber Operator License - Cosmetology Operators must complete a Class A Barber course consisting of 300 hours of instruction. They must also pass a written and practical exam to obtain a Class A Barber license.

Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) – An industry-recognized credential that documents mastery of the core skills and knowledge valued for entry-level technician positions in the bioscience industry including, but not limited to quality control technician, research technician, process technician, specimen collector, and more.

Certified Fundamentals Cook – Successful completion of the American Culinary Federation accredited program.

Child Development Associate (CDA) – Credential is used to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development of children, is the most widely recognized credential in Early Childhood Education and is a key steppingstone on the path of career advancement.

Cosmetology Operator License – Students must complete a Cosmetology Operator course consisting of 1,000 hours of instruction. They must also pass both a written and practical exam to obtain the license.

Critical Communication Skills (CCS) - Successful completion of this certification validates that students entering the workforce understand key communication principles and possess the skills necessary to be effective in a work environment.

Community Health Worker – A Community Health Worker (CHW) helps connect people in their community with healthcare and social services. For certification they must complete a DSHS-certified 160-hour competency-based CHW training program; OR Have at least 1,000 hours of CHW service within the past three (3) years.

Educational Aide I – This State Board of Educator Certification is the first level of educational aide certification in Texas. It is obtained after successful completion of required courses that provide skills and knowledge in child development and instructional practices.

Elanco Fundamentals of Animal Science Certification – The Elanco Fundamentals of Animal Science Certification verifies individuals have acquired the foundational knowledge and skills to pursue a career within the animal science industry.

Elanco Veterinary Medical Applications Certification - The Elanco Veterinary Medical Applications Certification verifies the competencies needed to achieve employability within the veterinary science field and is transferable to health and animal science fields.

Emergency Medical Technician Course Completion - National certification, successful completion of a state-approved Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course and current CPR-BLS for "Healthcare Provider" credential. Successful completion of the National Registry cognitive (knowledge) and a state-approved psychomotor (skills) exam.

Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) - Successful completion of this certification validates the skills and knowledge for students interested in working in a middle-skill trade profession as their own boss and those with entrepreneurship and small business career aspirations.

Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications (MOS) - Microsoft Office Specialist is an industry-recognized certification program that validates skills in Microsoft Office applications. MOS Associate and Expert certifications are empowered to stand out in the competitive job market, while simplifying daily tasks and fostering career growth.

National Healthcare Association Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMAs) – CCMAs are critical members of healthcare teams in a variety of medical settings. They are often the first and last person a patient interacts with. They perform a variety of tasks such as taking patient vital signs, administering injections or medications, performing EKGs, phlebotomy and other essential laboratory procedures.

National Healthcare Association Certified EKG Technician (CET) - Electrocardiograph (EKG) technicians are medical practitioners who administer tests to determine the cardiovascular health of patients. Their primary duties include performing diagnostic tests on patients, monitoring patient blood pressure, and collecting medical data for use by the healthcare team.

Northwest Independent School District Education Priority Interview – This certificate is earned within the NISD Education and Training pathways and validates an individual’s skills as a future PreK-12 educator in classroom management, instructional strategies and child guidance. These individuals have completed hundreds of hours of internship work within NISD school campuses and community early learning centers. This honor awards individuals with a priority interview to teach within Northwest ISD upon completion of their teaching certification and post-secondary degree or certification in early childhood education.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 Hour Safety Course - Training for entry-level workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces in general industry. Through this training, OSHA helps to ensure that workers are more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and their rights.

Pre-Professional Certification in Early Childhood Education - The Early Childhood Education credential emphasizes the knowledge and skills necessary for success in early childhood education careers in childcare, teaching, community-based children’s programs, social services or counseling for children and after-school programs.

Python Programmer Certified Entry-Level (PCEP) – Professional credential that measures your ability to accomplish coding tasks related to the essentials of programming in the Python language. A test candidate should demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the universal concepts of computer programming, the syntax and semantics of the Python language as well as the skills in resolving typical implementation challenges with the help of the Python Standard Library.   

Python Programmer Certified Associate (PCAP) - Certification focuses on the Object-Oriented Programming approach to Python and shows that the individual is familiar with the more advanced aspects of programming, including the essentials of OOP, the essentials of modules and packages, the exception handling mechanism in OOP, advanced operations on strings, list comprehensions, lambdas, generators, closures, and file processing.

QuickBooks Certified User - Students validate their knowledge of Intuit QuickBooks and show proficiency in computing accounting skills for business.

ServSafe Food Manager - Verifies that a manager or person-in-charge has sufficient food safety knowledge to protect the public from foodborne illness.

Solidworks Associate in Mechanical Design (CSWA) – Certification proving that candidates are well-versed in both basic knowledge of engineering fundamentals and industry practices, along with Solidworks CAD software, its methodologies and simulation principles.

Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) Industry 4.0 Associate in Basic Operations – Certification that demonstrates candidates’ competency in modern production environments that use Industry 4.0 controls, automation, and processes.

Texas Veterinary Medical Association Certified Veterinary Assistant - Required skills and competencies regularly practiced in clinics and demonstrate the safe and proper methods as the third member of the successful animal healthcare team.

Texas State Floralists’ Association Knowledge-Based Certification - Credential for student floral designers who demonstrate knowledge of the basic techniques used to design floral arrangements.

Texas State Floralists’ Association Floral Level One/Level Two Design - Credential for student floral designers who demonstrate knowledge and the ability to create the basic designs needed in a floral shop daily.