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    ​​Certification Staffing Policy Guidelines (CSPGs)

    ​​CSPG 66 - Career and Technical Intern and Instructional Certificates

    Career and Technical Intern Certificate - Type Code 24
    Career and Technical Instructional Certificate - Type Code 21
    Modified: March 30, 2023

    Career and Technical Education is the science or art of teaching fundamental concepts and skills in the specific career and technical education programs.

    Grade Level Scope of Certificate

    An educator holding a valid Pennsylvania Career and Technical Intern or Career and Technical Instructional certificate is qualified to teach career and technical education courses in grades 7 through 12 in an approved career and technical education program, providing the appropriate content certificate or occupational competency is held.

    Certification Assignment

    An educator holding a valid Pennsylvania Career and Technical Intern or Instructional certificate is qualified to teach skills within the area of their Occupational Competency Area (OCA) or certificate within an approved career and technical education program.  Access ​CIP Codes

    Special Considerations

    • The certified educator may teach courses to students, including special education or gifted students, within the scope of the certificate.
    • An educator certified in this area may:
      • Provide professional development services regarding their collegial studies/skills;
      • Serve in the role of mentor/advisor; and
      • Assist students in understanding how to read content area materials.

    Certification Clarifications

    • Related Occupational Competency Areas – Type Code (0)
      • When an Occupational Competency Area (OCA) has been approved by the Department as having related content to a specific Instructional certificate, that OCA may be added to the specific Instructional certificate and used in a career and technical instructional program.
      • Service on the related OCA is counted toward Instructional II certification and against the validity of the Instructional I certificate(s) held by the educator.
    • Certificate Requirements, effective July 2024: See Career and Technical Instructional Intern and Career and Technical Instructional Certificates

      Restrictions

      Career and Technical Intern certificates are valid for three calendar years effective the date of issuance, whether or not the Career and Technical Intern certificate holder uses the certificate. Career and Technical Intern certificates can not be renewed, but an educator can be issued a Career and Technical Intern certificate in another CIP if they meet the requirements.

      Inactive and voluntary inactive Pennsylvania certificate holders may work for a total of 180 days per school year.

      • No permit is required to work in the certification content area.
      • Type 06 emergency permit is required when the individual is working outside of their certificate area(s). Substituting for an individual professional or temporary professional employee outside of their certificate area beyond 20 days requires a Type 04 long term substitute permit.
      • These two options combined cannot exceed 180 days per school year.

      References

      Program Specific Guidelines for Certification

      22 PA Code: Chapter 4: §4.22, §4.23, §4.31, §339.41

      Chapter 49: §49.11, §49.81, §49.131-132, §49.141-143, §49.151-152

      PA Public School Code: §1202, §1204.2, §1205.2, §1212, §1604

      This revision supersedes all earlier CSPGs carrying this number and/or addressing this subject.  Previous printing dates on this subject: 3/75, 1/87, 7/04, 12/18, 1/20

      Summary of Changes

      ​Date of Revisions
      		​Major Changes to CSPG #66
      8/2024Updated certification requirements due to changes in statute.
      ​3/2023
      		​Added validity information for Career and Technical Intern certificates
      ​2/2022
      		​Revisions made for Ac 91 of 2021
      ​1/2020​Updated terminology per Act 76 from “vocational” to “career and technical”
      ​12/2018

      ​A note was added under Certification Clarification to clarify the total credit hour requirements for the completed Vocational I and II approved programs.

      ​9/2018

      ​Certification Clarification section was updated:

      • Added information on related Occupational Competency areas.
      • Added updates effective 7/1/2018:
        • Four years of work experience required for issuance of Vocational Intern certificate.
        • Two years of work experience required for issuance of Vocational Instructional I certificate if not following the Intern route.
        • 18 credits required for Vocational I in the approved program.
        • 42 credits required for Vocational II in the approved program.
        • Added information on Inactive and Voluntary Inactive certificates.
      ​7/2004

      ​CSPG 66 – Vocational Intern and Vocational Instructional:

      • Defined Grade Scope and Assignments.
      • Certificate Clarifications:
        • Standard certificate plus endorsement in an occupational area.
        • Vocational Instructional certificate plus OCA.
        • Vocational Intern certificate plus OCA.
      ​1/1987

      ​CSPG 58 – Vocational Instructional and Vocational Intern 7-12:

      • Standard certificate plus endorsement in occupational area.
      • Vocational Instructional or Vocational Intern certificate plus OCA.
      • Emergency permit plus endorsement in occupational area.
      • Related certificate areas plus OCA.

      CSPG 111 – Staffing Vocational Ed Programs for Special Education:

      • PDE approved curriculum for Industrial Production and Maintenance may be offered to a class of special education students and taught by a person holding a certificate plus this OCA.
      • Vocational certificates endorsed for Occupations-Retarded Youth enabled the holder to teach an exploratory experience with hand tools to special education students.
      ​3/1975

      ​CSPG 37 – Assignment Scope of Industrial Arts Certificates:

      • Revised Industrial Arts certificate and Unit Shops.

      CSPG 94 – Staffing Industrial Education Programs:

      • Trade and industrial courses:
        • Require proper vocational instructional certificate for the area taught.
        • Industrial Art certificate with appropriate endorsement is allowed for introductory courses.
        • Vocational certificates that correspond to a particular unit shop may teach that unit shop.
        • Certificates in Business Education, Distributive Education, Agriculture, and Home Economics may teach in either a general academic or vocational program.