The Virgin Islands Board for Career and Technical Education recognizes that a qualified, skilled workforce is essential to the economic well-being of the Virgin Islands business, industry, and public sector. The Board also recognizes that the economic vitality of Virgin Islands citizens will be dependent upon career and technical education's ability to provide an educational experience based on labor market information relating to the needs of business, industry, and the public sector.                                                                                                                                                                                                             The VI Board for Career and Technical Education, as the Virgin Islands public workforce education and training delivery system, is committed to providing career awareness, work readiness skills, occupational preparation, and retraining of workers throughout the territory. Career and technical education will span all educational levels, providing youth with exploration opportunities and the foundation skills needed to enter the world of work while providing adults with skills needed to enter, re-enter, or advance in the workforce.                                                                                                                   Services will be provided throughout the islands in a seamless environment, using both school-based and work-based learning. The system will be developed collaboratively with business, industry, and other agencies. The performance-based system will allow for the flexibility to exit and re-enter as employment demands dictate.                                    The VI Board for Career and Technical Education also recognizes the learner's need to be trained with the latest methods of instruction while using up-to-date technology. The Board is devoted to providing leadership, organizational expertise, technical assistance, and the other resources required to meet the demand.                                                                            Quality, accessibility, responsiveness, and commitment to continuous improvement will be the trademarks for Virgin Islands Career and Technical Education Board.

Principles Students in the Virgin Islands should be prepared for continued learning in either an employment or educational setting. Special populations and targeted groups should have access to rewarding and demanding career and technical programs/courses. Students enrolled in Career and Technical Education Programs should be assisted and equipped to achieve the necessary skills needed to succeed. Career and Technical Education Programs should provide secured the linkages between secondary and post-secondary education and training to ensure that academic and career and technical courses enables the students to pursue further education successfully.  Career and Technical Education students should be provided with career guidance and counseling to ensure access to career opportunities and adequate preparation. All students in CTE programs should be a member of the youth organization in their program of study All youth organizations within the CTE system shall have a teacher to serve as an active advisor. All advisors and students may attend competitions at the chapter, district, state, and national level. Youth organizations must provide a program of activities each semester, which may include; supervised work experience, OJT or any other activity that is an integral part of the program such as leadership training. workshops, conferences, and conventions. All five youth organizations must have an annual budget of $20,000.00 as seed money for their youth organization. The Career and Technical Education Board may have a partnership and MOU as needed with government departments and agencies, business and industry to support programs.. All five CTE program shall have a career pathways for grades 9 through 12.

The overarching goal of the Virgin Islands Career and Technical Education Program is to provide all students a standardized combination of academic and career and technical education guided by comprehensive career guidance and planning. This will be achieved thru nine key efforts: Integrating academic and technical education programs. Aligning course offerings with current and future job demand. Utilizing relevant course content. Meeting the educational needs of special populations. Strengthening the education pipeline by developing career pathways that lead to post-secondary educational and training programs offered by the private sector, military and educational institutions. Recruiting, developing and retaining professional faculty. Recruiting, developing and retaining professional counselors utilizing a “Youth Net” to prevent or recapture at risk youth and marketing the value of career and technical education to CTE and general student populations. OVERARCHING STRATEGIES Ensure course offerings and content are demand driven. Collaborate to leverage funding and resources. Strive for macro impact involving the greatest number of partners serving the maximum number of students. Transparency and accessibility to all stakeholders. Hire and maintain teachers that are qualified in their respective CTE program ensuring that they maintain professional designations and national certifications where required and secure professional development in their content area each year. Provide flexibility in hiring and compensating teachers with specialized skills that are required to meet the workforce demand Currently, The Virgin Islands offers approximately 36 career and technical programs and courses that provide occupational and academic skills attainment that range from seventh grade through twelve grades and two adult programs. Perkins funds are used to support programs for students in two (2) school districts, two (2) correctional and other institutions.  These local educational agencies provide educational programs in the following Career Clusters recognized by The Virgin Islands Department of Education: Agriculture Education Business Education Family and Consumer Science Education Industrial Arts Education Trade and Industry