http://www.act.org/wwm/overview.html
Career Clusters and Career Areas
The 26 career areas are listed below, arranged within the six career clusters. For each career area, examples of occupations are provided.
Administration and Sales Career Cluster
A. EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SERVICES
Managers (Human Resources, Training/Education, Employee Benefits, etc.); Recruiter; Interviewer; Job Analyst.
B. MARKETING & SALES
Agents (Insurance, Real Estate, Travel, etc.); Buyer; Sales/Manufacturers' Representatives; Retail Salesworker; Telemarketer.
C. MANAGEMENT
Executive; Executive Secretary; Purchaser; General Managers (Financial, Office, Property, etc.); Specialty Managers (Retail Store, Hotel/Motel, Food Service, etc.).
D. REGULATION & PROTECTION
Inspectors (Customs, Food/Drug, etc.); Police Officer, Detective; Park Ranger; Security Manager; Guard.
Business Operations Career Cluster
E. COMMUNICATIONS & RECORDS
Receptionist; Secretary (including Legal and Medical); Court Reporter; Clerks (Order, Billing, Hotel, etc.).
F. FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
Accountant/Auditor; Cashier; Bank Teller; Budget/Credit Analysts; Tax Preparer; Ticket Agent.
G. DISTRIBUTION & DISPATCHING
Shipping/Receiving Clerk; Warehouse Supv.; Mail Carrier; Dispatchers (Flight, Cab, etc.); Air Traffic Controller.
Technical Career Cluster
H. TRANSPORT OPERATION & RELATED
Truck/Bus/Cab Drivers; Locomotive Engineer; Ship Captain; Aircraft Pilot; Sailor; Chauffeur.
I. AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, & RELATED
Farmer; Nursery Manager; Pest Controller; Forester; Logger; Groundskeeper; Animal Caretaker.
J. COMPUTER & INFORMATION SPECIALTIES
Programmer; Systems Analyst; Info. Systems Manager; Computer Repairer; Desktop Publisher; Actuary.
K. CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE
Carpenter; Electrician; Bricklayer; Tile Setter; Painter; Plumber; Roofer; Firefighter; Custodian.
L. CRAFTS & RELATED
Cabinetmaker; Tailor; Chef/Cook; Baker; Butcher; Jeweler; Silversmith; Hand Crafter.
M. MANUFACTURING & PROCESSING
Tool & Die Maker; Machinist; Welder; Bookbinder; Printing Press Operator; Photo Process Worker; Dry Cleaner.
N. MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL SPECIALTIES
Mechanics/Technicians (Auto, Aircraft, Heating & AC, Electronics, Dental Lab, etc.); Repairers (Office Machine, Appliance, TV/VCR, CD Player, etc.).
Science and Technology Career Cluster
O. ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGIES
Engineers (Aerospace, Ag, Nuclear, Civil, Computer, etc.); Technicians (Electronics, Mechanical, Laser, etc.); Surveyor; Drafter; Architect; Technical Illustrator.
P. NATURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGIES
Physicist; Astronomer; Biologist; Statistician; Soil Conservationist; Food Technologist; Crime Lab Analyst.
Q. MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES
Pharmacist; Optician; Prosthetist; Technologists (Surgical, Medical Lab, EEG, etc.); Dietitian.
R. MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT
Physician; Psychiatrist; Pathologist; Dentist; Optometrist; Veterinarian; Nurse Anesthetist; Audiologist; Physician Assistant.
S. SOCIAL SCIENCE
Sociologist; Experimental Psychologist; Political Scientist; Economist; Criminologist; Urban Planner.
Arts Career Cluster
T. APPLIED ARTS (VISUAL)
Artist; Graphic Artist; Photographer; Illustrator; Floral/Fashion/Interior Designers; Merchandise Displayer.
U. CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS
Writer/Author; Musician; Singer; Dancer; Music Composer; Movie/TV Directors; Fashion Model.
V. APPLIED ARTS (WRITTEN & SPOKEN)
Reporter; Columnist; Editor; Advertising Copywriter; Public Relations Specialist; TV Announcer; Librarian; Interpreter.
Social Service Career Cluster
W. HEALTH CARE
Administrator; Recreational Therapist; Psychiatric Technician; Dental Hygienist/Assistant; Geriatric Aide.
X. EDUCATION
Administrator; Teachers & Aides (Preschool, Elementary & Secondary, Special Education, PE, etc.).
Y. COMMUNITY SERVICES
Social Service Director; Social Worker; Lawyer; Paralegal; Home Economist; Career Counselor; Clergy.
Z. PERSONAL SERVICES
Waiter/Waitress; Barber; Cosmetologist; Flight Attendant; Household Worker; Home Health Aide; Travel Guide.
Underlying Research
In the 1960s, when Dr.John Holland was ACT Vice President for Research, he developed a hexagon arrangement of six occupational types. Dr.Dale Prediger began the work to extend the applications of Holland's hexagon in the early 1970s, and the first World-of-Work Map was introduced by ACT, Inc., in 1973.
The Map is based in substantial research involving analysis of several key databases: expert ratings of basic work tasks from the Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network and ratings from the Department's Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Interest inventory scores of more than 200,000 persons in 640 occupations provide a third source of data.
The Map has been revised several times in response to the changing nature of many jobs. The most recent revision was introduced in 2001.
Unsure Where You Belong?
To learn where you naturally fit into the Career Clusters and Career Areas Circle go to: www.educationplanning.org.
1. Follow this path: Discovering>Career Assessment>Take the Career Key Assessment
2. Sign in, read the instructions carefully, take the survey
3. Print your results
The next thing you need to do is to click on the Self-Assessment quiz (on the Navbar), print the printer friendly version and then thoughtfully consider each question as you take the quiz.
Reflect. What have you identified about yourself?
Knowing what you now know, look at occupations on the part of the “wheel” that you identified when you took the Career Key Assessment. These general areas are also listed in clusters on this handout.
To get a quick glance and learn about a specific occupation follow this path: Discovering> Career Assessment>Search Hundreds of Careers.