Turn your expertise into a teaching career in Career and Technical Education.
Are you passionate about hands-on learning and preparing students for real-world careers? Career and Technical Education, or CTE, teachers are critical to help students gain the skills they need to succeed in fields like healthcare, IT, manufacturing, agriculture and more.
Whether you’re coming from industry or already work in education, Minnesota CTE programs—with support from partners like TeachCTE and MNCTE—offer multiple pathways to become a licensed CTE teacher, and you often don’t need a traditional teaching degree to get started.
Teach students about: Farming, animal care, plant science, food systems and environmental conservation.
Perfect for you if: You’ve worked in ag, natural resources, forestry, or environmental science—and love hands-on learning.
Teach students about: Business operations, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance and leadership.
Perfect for you if: You’ve run a business, worked in management or bring real workplace know-how.
Teach students about: Helping professions like education, mental health, social work, cosmetology and community services.
Perfect for you if: You’ve worked in caregiving, counseling, beauty or human development—and love helping others grow.
Teach students about: Patient care, medical technology, health careers and wellness.
Perfect for you if: You have a background in healthcare and want to inspire the next generation of nurses, techs and providers.
Teach students about: Design, construction, machining, robotics, automotive tech and 3D modeling.
Perfect for you if: You’ve worked in skilled trades, engineering or tech—and want to help students build and innovate.
Some jobs and skills fit into more than one career area. For example, welders work in both agriculture and industry. See how it all connects in the Minnesota Career Wheel chart.
Before you begin, confirm you’re eligible to teach a CTE subject in Minnesota. You’ll need one of the following:
If you’ve spent time building skills on the job, there’s a good chance you qualify. TeachMN coach Lavyne Rada has deep expertise in Career & Technical Education and can help you understand how your experience counts toward a Minnesota teaching license. Connect with Lavyne—or another coach—on the TeachMN coaching page.
Minnesota uses a tiered licensing system, and most new CTE teachers start on Tier 1 or 2 while they work toward permanent licensure. Here’s the breakdown:
Don’t worry! You can teach under a temporary license while completing your teacher training. Learn more.
There are licensing programs built for career changers like you—especially if you have industry experience. You can choose a path that fits your lifestyle and background:
To start teaching, you’ll need a job offer from a Minnesota school or district.
Explore current job openings on the Minnesota educator job board or the CTE-specific board with MN CTE.
Once you have a job offer and are enrolled in a program:
This step makes it official. You’re licensed to teach in Minnesota!
As you teach, you’ll continue completing your program or portfolio requirements. You’re building experience and checking off everything needed for your Tier 3 license (your permanent teaching license). Keep track of your progress and when you’re ready, apply to level up so you can keep making an impact for the long haul!
Teaching CTE in Minnesota is a powerful way to use your skills. Whether you’re helping students explore careers in IT, healthcare, construction or cosmetology, you’re helping them shape their futures.
TeachMN is here to help you every step of the way as you start your journey to become a CTE teacher. We offer free coaching, scholarships, financial aid opportunities, step-by-step guides and more.
We’ve also gathered these Minnesota-specific resources to help you explore your options:
Talk to a TeachMN coach and take your first step toward teaching CTE. With 1-on-1 and group advising, we’ve got flexible options to fit your life.
