1 National Life Drive, Davis 5, Montpelier, VT 05620-2501
(p) 802-828-1130 | (f) 802-828-6430 | education.vermont.gov
Vermont Career Technical Education (CTE) Program
Critical Proficiencies
Forestry, Natural Resources CTE Programs
The Critical Proficiencies identify the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities that VT CTE
students need to demonstrate (1) to be program completers, and (2) to be prepared for future
learning. Critical proficiencies promote high expectations for all students, and support students'
personal, professional, and academic development. At the high school level, VT’s Proficiency-
Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) reflect the critical proficiencies that lead to
postsecondary career and college readiness.
For each of the unique program areas which categorize VT’s CTE programs, the proficiency
template includes:
● Program-Area Descriptions
● Career Ready Practices
● Career Cluster(s) and Pathway(s)
● Anchor Standards
● Program Technical Standards
● Academic Alignment
● CTE Program Elements
Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core - Career Ready Practices
The Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) is a state-led initiative to establish a set of
rigorous, high-quality standards for Career Technical Education (CTE). The CCTC includes a set
of standards for each Career Cluster® and corresponding Career Pathways that define what
students should know and be able to do after completing instruction in a program of study. The
CCTC also includes an overarching set of Career Ready Practices that apply to all programs of
study. The Career Ready Practices include statements that address the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions that are important to becoming career ready.
The Career Ready Practices were developed from a state-led initiative sponsored by the
National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium
(NASDCTEC).
Career Ready Practices describe the career-ready skills that educators should seek to develop
in their students. These practices are not exclusive to a Career Pathway, program of study,
discipline, or level of education. Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in
all career exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of
complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study.
(NASDCTEC, 2012)
The Career Ready Practices
● are applicable across all program areas.
● align with the VT Transferable Skills Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements
(PBGRs) and VT Portrait of a Graduate.
● are the transferable skills of the Common Career Technical Core and the portrait of a VT
CTE program completer.
Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core - Career Cluster and Pathway Standards
The Common Career Technical Core is divided into Career Cluster and Pathway standards.
Each Career Cluster contains one or more pathways with pathway-specific technical standards.
The template shows which CCTC Career Cluster and Pathway standards are relevant to VT CTE
programs.
Anchor Standards
The Anchor Standards build upon the Career Ready Practices and show the overarching
standards categories which are common across all technical programs within their Career
Cluster(s) and Pathway(s). The VT CTE Anchor Standards are derived from and align with the
CCTC Anchor Standards.
Program Technical Standards
The Program Technical Standards build on and continue the Anchor Standards with more
complexity, rigor, and career specificity. Knowledge and skills are learned and applied within a
standards-based CTE program that integrates classroom, laboratory, and work-based
instruction. The VT CTE Program Technical Standards are tailored to the unique characteristics
and structure of each of the program areas.
Academic Alignment
Each program-area template includes academic alignment with the VT Content-Area Sample
Graduation Proficiencies as part of VT’s Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs).
These include Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics, Next
Generation Science Standards, as well as other adopted national and state academic standards.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 2 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
CTE Critical Proficiency Template
Critical Proficiency
Template:
Attributes of each section:
Program-Area Descriptions
For VT CTE Program Areas
Common Career Technical
Core - Career Ready
Practices
1. Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and
employee.
2. Apply appropriate academic and technical skills.
3. Attend to personal health and financial well-being.
4. Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason.
5. Consider the environmental, social, and economic impacts
of decisions.
6. Demonstrate creativity and innovation.
7. Employ valid and reliable research strategies.
8. Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and
persevere in solving them.
9. Model integrity, ethical leadership, and effective
management.
10. Plan education and career paths aligned to personal goals.
11. Use technology to enhance productivity.
12. Work productively in teams while using cultural global
competence.
Common Career Technical
Core - Career Cluster(s) and
Pathway(s)
Relevant to VT CTE Program Areas
Anchor Standards
1. Academics
2. Communication
3. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
4. Technology
5. Systems (Responsibility and Flexibility)
6. Health and Safety
7. Leadership and Teamwork
8. Ethics and Legal Responsibilities
9. Career Planning and Management
10. Technical Knowledge and Skills (see Program Technical
Standards)
11. Demonstration and Application (see CTE Program
Elements)
Program Technical
Standards
Build on the Anchor Standards with more complexity, rigor,
and career specificity
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 3 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 4 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Critical Proficiency
Template:
Attributes of each section:
Academic Alignment
With VT Content-Area Graduation Proficiencies
CTE Program Elements
Demonstration and application:
● Dual Enrollment/Fast Forward Courses
● Industry Recognized Credentials (IRCs)
● Work-Based Learning/Co-op/Apprenticeship
● National Career Technical Student Organizations
● Entrepreneurship
● Portfolio/Personalized Learning Plan
VT Forestry, Natural Resources CTE Programs
Students in Forestry programs have in-depth, hands-on experiences in forest management and
conservation; mapping and surveying; plant and tree physiology, anatomy, and taxonomy; pest
and disease management; fire ecology; public and private land use; and business management.
Students in Natural Resources programs have in-depth, hands-on experiences in natural
resources science and management; ecological concepts and scientific principles; renewable and
nonrenewable resources; fish and wildlife ecology; outdoor recreation; public and private land
use; environmental and natural resources conservation; and business management.
The standards in this program area are designed to prepare students for technical training,
postsecondary education, and/or entry-level employment in the field of forestry and natural
resources. Students engage in an instructional program that integrates academic and technical
preparation, career exploration, and preparation for postsecondary education and/or training.
Knowledge and skills are learned and applied within a standards-based CTE program that
integrates classroom, laboratory, and work-based instruction.
Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core - Career Ready Practices
Advance CTE Common
Career Technical Core -
Career Ready Practices:
Aligned with VT Transferable Skills Proficiency-Based
Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) and VT Portrait of a
Graduate
1. Act as a responsible and
contributing citizen and
employee.
Career-ready individuals understand the obligations and
responsibilities of being a member of a community, and they
demonstrate this understanding every day through their
interactions with others. They are conscientious of the
impacts of their decisions on others and the environment
around them. They think about the near-term and long-term
consequences of their actions and seek to act in ways that
contribute to the betterment of their teams, families,
community, and workplace. They are reliable and consistent
in going beyond the minimum expectation and in
participating in activities that serve the greater good.
2. Apply appropriate
academic and technical
skills.
Career-ready individuals readily access and use the
knowledge and skills acquired through experience and
education to be more productive. They make connections
between abstract concepts with real-world applications, and
they make correct insights about when it is appropriate to
apply the use of an academic skill in a workplace situation.
3. Attend to personal health
and financial well-being.
Career-ready individuals understand the relationship
between personal health, workplace performance, and
personal well-being; they act on that understanding to
regularly practice healthy diet, exercise, and mental health
activities. Career-ready individuals also take regular action to
contribute to their personal financial wellbeing,
understanding that personal financial security provides the
peace of mind required to contribute more fully to their own
career success.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 5 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 6 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Advance CTE Common
Career Technical Core -
Career Ready Practices:
Aligned with VT Transferable Skills Proficiency-Based
Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) and VT Portrait of a
Graduate
4. Communicate clearly and
effectively and with reason.
Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas, and
action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal,
and/or visual methods. They communicate in the workplace
with clarity and purpose to make maximum use of their own
and others’ time. They are excellent writers; they master
conventions, word choice, and organization, and use
effective tone and presentation skills to articulate ideas. They
are skilled at interacting with others; they are active listeners
and speak clearly and with purpose. Career-ready
individuals think about the audience for their
communication and prepare accordingly to ensure the
desired outcome.
5. Consider the
environmental, social, and
economic impacts of
decisions.
Career-ready individuals understand the interrelated nature
of their actions and regularly make decisions that positively
impact and/or mitigate negative impact on other people,
organization, and the environment. They are aware of and
utilize new technologies, understandings, procedures,
materials, and regulations affecting the nature of their work
as it relates to the impact on the social condition, the
environment, and the profitability of the organization.
6. Demonstrate creativity
and innovation.
Career-ready individuals regularly think of ideas that solve
problems in new and different ways, and they contribute
those ideas in a useful and productive manner to improve
their organization. They can consider unconventional ideas
and suggestions as solutions to issues, tasks or problems, and
they discern which ideas and suggestions will add greatest
value. They seek new methods, practices, and ideas from a
variety of sources and seek to apply those ideas to their own
workplace. They take action on their ideas and understand
how to bring innovation to an organization.
7. Employ valid and reliable
research strategies.
Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and
using new information to make decisions, change practices,
or inform strategies. They use reliable research processes to
search for new information. They evaluate the validity of
sources when considering the use and adoption of external
information or practices in their workplace situation.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 7 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Advance CTE Common
Career Technical Core -
Career Ready Practices:
Aligned with VT Transferable Skills Proficiency-Based
Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) and VT Portrait of a
Graduate
8. Utilize critical thinking to
make sense of problems and
persevere in solving them.
Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the
workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise
effective plans to solve the problem. They are aware of
problems when they occur and take action quickly to address
the problem; they thoughtfully investigate the root cause of
the problem prior to introducing solutions. They carefully
consider the options to solve the problem. Once a solution is
agreed upon, they follow through to ensure the problem is
solved, whether through their own actions or the actions of
others.
9. Model integrity, ethical
leadership, and effective
management.
Career-ready individuals consistently act in ways that align
personal and community-held ideals and principles while
employing strategies to positively influence others in the
workplace. They have a clear understanding of integrity and
act on this understanding in every decision. They use a
variety of means to positively impact the directions and
actions of a team or organization, and they apply insights
into human behavior to change others’ actions, attitudes,
and/or beliefs. They recognize the near-term and long-term
effects that management’s actions and attitudes can have on
productivity, morals, and organizational culture.
10. Plan education and
career paths aligned to
personal goals.
Career-ready individuals take personal ownership of their
own education and career goals, and they regularly act on a
plan to attain these goals. They understand their own career
interests, preferences, goals, and requirements. They have
perspective regarding the pathways available to them and
the time, effort, experience, and other requirements to pursue
each, including a path of entrepreneurship. They recognize
the value of each step in the education and experiential
process, and they recognize that nearly all career paths
require ongoing education and experience. They seek
counselors, mentors, and other experts to assist in the
planning and execution of career and personal goals.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 8 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Advance CTE Common
Career Technical Core -
Career Ready Practices:
Aligned with VT Transferable Skills Proficiency-Based
Graduation Requirements (PBGRs) and VT Portrait of a
Graduate
11. Use technology to
enhance productivity.
Career-ready individuals find and maximize the productive
value of existing and new technology to accomplish
workplace tasks and solve workplace problems. They are
flexible and adaptive in acquiring new technology. They are
proficient with ubiquitous technology applications. They
understand the inherent risks - personal and organizational -
of technology applications, and they take actions to prevent
or mitigate these risks.
12. Work productively in
teams while using cultural
global competence.
Career-ready individuals positively contribute to every team,
whether formal or informal. They apply an awareness of
cultural differences to avoid barriers to productive and
positive interaction. They find ways to increase the
engagement and contribution of all team members. They
plan and facilitate effective team meetings.
Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core - Agriculture, Food, and Natural
Resources Career Cluster and Pathway Standards
The following Career Cluster
and Pathway standards are
relevant to VT Forestry and
Natural Resources CTE
programs:
Agriculture, Food, and
Natural Resources Career
Cluster
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 9 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
The following Career Cluster
and Pathway standards are
relevant to VT Forestry and
Natural Resources CTE
programs:
Environmental Services
Systems Pathway
Natural Resources Systems
Pathway
VT CTE Program Anchor Standards
Anchor Standards:
Aligned with Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core
- Career Cluster Anchor Standards
1. Academics
Achieve additional academic knowledge and skills required
to pursue the full-range of career and postsecondary
education opportunities.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 10 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Anchor Standards:
Aligned with Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core
- Career Cluster Anchor Standards
2. Communication
Acquire and accurately use terminology and information at
the career and college readiness level for communicating
effectively in oral, written, and multimedia formats.
3. Problem Solving and
Critical Thinking
Conduct short, as well as more sustained, research to create
alternative solutions to answer a question or solve a problem
using critical and creative thinking; logical reasoning,
analysis, inquiry, and problem-solving techniques.
4. Technology
Use existing and emerging technology to investigate,
research, and produce products and services, including new
information, as required in the workplace environment.
5. Systems
(Responsibility and Flexibility)
Initiate, and participate in, a range of collaborations to
demonstrate behaviors that reflect personal and professional
responsibility, flexibility, and respect in the workplace
environment and community settings.
6. Health and Safety
Demonstrate health and safety procedures, regulations, and
personal health practices and determine the meaning of
symbols, key terms, and domain-specific words and phrases
as related to the workplace environment.
7. Leadership and Teamwork
Work with peers to promote divergent and creative
perspectives, effective leadership, group dynamics, team
and individual decision making, benefits of workforce
diversity, and conflict resolution.
8. Ethics and Legal
Responsibilities
Practice professional, ethical, and legal behavior, responding
thoughtfully to diverse perspectives and resolving
contradictions when possible, consistent with applicable
laws, regulations, and organizational norms.
9. Career Planning and
Management
Integrate multiple sources of career information from
diverse formats to make informed career decisions, solve
problems, and manage personal career plans.
10. Technical Knowledge and
Skills
(see Program Technical
Standards)
Apply essential technical knowledge and skills common to
the Career Cluster and Pathway(s), following procedures
when carrying out experiments and/or performing technical
tasks.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 11 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Anchor Standards:
Aligned with Advance CTE Common Career Technical Core
- Career Cluster Anchor Standards
11. Demonstration and
Application
(see CTE Program Elements)
Demonstrate and apply technical knowledge and skills
across a variety of CTE-specific opportunities in classroom,
laboratory, and workplace settings.
VT Forestry CTE Program Technical Standards
Program Technical Standards:
Standards for each career path build on and continue the
Anchor Standards with more complexity, rigor, and career
specificity.
1. Safety and Equipment
a. Describe and practice personal, workplace, and
equipment safety procedures and protocols.
b. Interpret established personal, workplace, and
equipment safety procedures and protocols;
develop and implement improved procedures.
c. Follow proper hazardous chemical/material control
procedures and regulations.
d. Operate and maintain forestry tools and equipment
in a variety of settings.
2. Forest Management
a. Explore and implement forest management
practices, including fire ecology.
b. Utilize compass, GPS, and mapping instruments
and interpret topographic maps and aerial imagery;
apply to a real world forest management scenario.
c. Utilize surveying equipment to measure acreage
and distance.
d. Describe tree species by characteristics (i.e., leaves,
twig, bark).
e. Summarize basic plant physiology, anatomy, and
taxonomy.
f. Describe how to protect forests from pests and
diseases; develop and/or critique a management
plan.
g. Apply mathematical concepts and operations to
perform forest management tasks.
h. Explain and apply scientific concepts (i.e.,
photosynthesis, climate change, evolution) as they
relate to forestry.
3. Environmental
Conservation
a. Appraise best management practices for
environmental conservation.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 12 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Program Technical Standards:
Standards for each career path build on and continue the
Anchor Standards with more complexity, rigor, and career
specificity.
b. Explain soil formation processes, soil erosion, and
nutrient cycling.
c. Describe air and water use, their management
practices, and conservation strategies.
d. Explain the water cycle and relate ecological issues
associated with surface water runoff.
e. Investigate wildlife habitat and management
concepts.
f. Describe outdoor recreation and its relationship to
forestry practices.
g. Recognize public and private land use issues;
develop and propose solutions.
4. Business Management
a. Produce, harvest, process, and market products
from forestry industries.
b. Explain and utilize general business and
management skills.
c. Develop a business plan and identify sources of
credit.
d. Identify and maintain financial and technical record
keeping systems.
5. Communication
a. Demonstrate effective verbal and written
communication skills in the forestry classroom,
laboratory, and work site.
6. Leadership and Teamwork
a. Demonstrate an ability to work independently and
as a collaborative forestry team member.
7. Ethics and Legal
Responsibilities
a. Recognize the professional and ethical standards
that are required in forestry.
8. Career Development
a. Identify and explore career options and pathways in
the field of forestry, as well as required training and
certification processes.
VT Natural Resources CTE Program Technical Standards
Program Technical Standards:
Standards for each career path build on and continue the
Anchor Standards with more complexity, rigor, and career
specificity.
1. Safety and Equipment
a. Practice personal, workplace, and equipment safety
procedures and protocols.
b. Analyze established personal, workplace, and
equipment safety procedures and protocols;
develop and implement improved procedures.
c. Follow proper hazardous chemical/material control
procedures and regulations.
d. Operate and maintain natural resources lab and
field instruments, tools, and equipment in a variety
of settings.
2. Natural Resources
Management
a. Explore and implement natural resources
management practices.
b. Explain forest management practices, including fire
ecology.
c. Utilize compass, GPS, and mapping instruments
and interpret topographic maps and aerial imagery;
apply to a real world natural resources management
scenario.
d. Utilize surveying equipment to measure acreage
and distance.
e. Identify tree species by characteristics (i.e., leaves,
twig, bark).
f. Explore basic plant physiology, anatomy, and
taxonomy.
g. Investigate wildlife management and habitat.
h. Describe how to protect natural resources from
pests and diseases; develop and/or critique a natural
resources management plan.
i. Apply mathematical concepts and operations to
perform natural resources management tasks.
j. Explain scientific concepts (i.e., photosynthesis,
climate change, evolution) as they relate to natural
resources.
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 13 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 14 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Program Technical Standards:
Standards for each career path build on and continue the
Anchor Standards with more complexity, rigor, and career
specificity.
3. Environmental
Conservation
a. Apply best management practices for
environmental conservation.
b. Describe soil formation processes, soil erosion, and
nutrient cycling.
c. Explain air and water use, their management
practices, and conservation strategies.
d. Describe the water cycle and ecological issues
associated with water quality, including surface
water runoff.
e. Explain the practices of solid and hazardous waste
management.
f. Describe outdoor recreation activities and
recreational environment management.
g. Identify public and private land use issues; develop
and propose solutions.
4. Business Management
a. Produce, harvest, process, and market timber
products.
b. Identify and apply general business and
management skills.
c. Develop a business plan and identify sources of
credit.
d. Maintain financial and technical record keeping
systems.
5. Communication
a. Demonstrate effective verbal and written
communication skills in the natural resources
classroom, laboratory, and work site.
6. Leadership and Teamwork
a. Demonstrate an ability to work independently and
as a collaborative natural resources team member.
7. Ethics and Legal
Responsibilities
a. Explain the professional and ethical standards that
are required in natural resources.
8. Career Development
a. Identify and explore career options and pathways in
the field of natural resources, as well as required
training and certification processes.
VT Forestry, Natural Resources CTE Program - Academic Alignment with VT
Content Area Graduation Proficiencies (PBGRs)
Graduation Proficiencies:
Indicators:
English Language Arts
High School
1. Reading: b, c, d, g
2. Writing: a, b, d, e
3. Writing: c
4. Speaking and Listening: a, b, d
5. Speaking and Listening: a, b, d
6. Language: a, c, e
Mathematics
High School
1. Modeling: a, b, c, d, e, f
2. Number and Quantity: c
5. Geometry: m, n
6. Statistics and Probability: a, c, e
Science
High School
3. Life Sciences: Structure, Function, and Information
Processing: e
4. Life Sciences: Matter and Energy in Organisms and
Ecosystems: b, c, d
7. Earth and Space Sciences: Earth Systems: b, d, e, h, i
8. Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science:
a, b, e
Global Citizenship/Social
Studies
End of Gr. 12
Inquiry: Constructing compelling and supporting
questions: a, d; Determining helpful sources: a
Civics: Processes, Rules, and Laws: a
Economics: Exchange and Markets: a
Geography: Human Environment Interaction: Place,
Regions, and Culture: a; Human Population: Spatial
Patterns and Movement: a
Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed
Action: Communicating: b
Physical Education
High School
1. Knowledge and Motor Skills: a, b
4. Affective Qualities and Social Interaction: b, d
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 15 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
VT Forestry, Natural Resources CTE Program Elements
Demonstration and Application:
Available Options:
Dual Enrollment/Fast Forward
Courses
● CCV: Intro to Environmental Science (ENV-
1010), Intro to Business (BUS-1010-VC50),
Startup 802: An Entrepreneurial Mindset (BUS-
1125-VC50)
● VTC: Burls to Boards (AGR 1061), Intro to
Horticulture (LAH 1020)
● White Mountains Community College:
Dendrology (FRST 101W), Intro to
Environmental Studies (ENVS 110W), Intro to
Forestry Resources (FRST 205W)
Industry Recognized Credentials
(IRCs)
Tier 1:
● American Heart Association - CPR or CPR/AED
● American Heart Association - First Aid
● American Heart Association - First Aid,
CPR/AED
● American Red Cross - CPR/AED
● American Red Cross - First Aid
● American Red Cross - First Aid, CPR/AED
● National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation
Program
● OSHA 10
● Scuba Diving Certification
● Tree Climbing for Arborists
● Wilderness First Aid
● Wilderness Fire Training
Tier 2:
● Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - Part
107 Remote Pilot Certification (Drones)
● iCEV - Ducks Unlimited Ecology Conservation &
Management Certification
● Northeast Woodland Training - Game of
Logging - Levels 1 through 4 (all 4 required)
● Vermont Logger Education to Advance
Professionalism/VT LEAP - LEAP Sustainable
Forestry Initiative (SFI) Certification
● SOLO - Wilderness First Responder
● SOLO - Wilderness EMT
● ACT National Career Readiness Certificate -
Levels 5, 6, or 7
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 16 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
VT CTE Forestry, Natural Resources Page 17 of 17
Proficiency Summary
(Revised: July 2022)
Demonstration and Application:
Available Options:
National Career Technical
Student Organizations (CTSOs)
● SkillsUSA
● Future Farmers of America (FFA)
Work-Based Learning/Co-op
(WBL)
Varies by CTE Center
Entrepreneurship Opportunities
Varies by CTE Center
Portfolio/Personalized Learning
Plan (PLP)
Varies by CTE Center