The mission of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) is to provide offerings with coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce and for further education and careers in current and emerging professions. CTAE programs are designed to contribute to the broad educational achievement of students. In doing this, basic skills such as reading, writing and mathematics will be enhanced, opportunities will be given to work independently and as part of a team and creative thinking and problem solving will be utilized through technology.

Middle School students are offered exploratory courses within the following connections programs - agricultural science, business education, engineering and technology education, and family and consumer science. Students receive a general understanding of the related concepts and career paths within the program area.

At the high school level, introductory courses are offered at grades 9 and 10, advanced and specialized instruction at grades 11 and 12. The available programs are: agricultural education, automotive service technology, broadcast and video production, business and information technology, collision repair, construction, early childhood education, electronics, engineering technology education, engineering drawing and design, family and consumer science, healthcare science, manufacturing, marketing management, professional foods, public safety, teacher education, and visual communications. Work-based learning opportunities are available in diversified cooperative training, marketing co-op and youth apprenticeship. Special populations are served through related vocational instruction and Project Success. Articulation and dual enrollment opportunities are available with area technical colleges.

Career and technical student organizations are an integral part of the CTAE programs: DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, and SkillsUSA all provide students with leadership development and competitions related to the program area.

Work-based learning (WBL) opportunities are available for qualified students in all CTAE pathways. Students interested in those opportunities need to contact the WBL coordinator at the individual high school or contact the CTAE office for more information.

All phases of the CTAE career pathways are currently implemented. The courses within each pathway have been developed around Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). Teachers teaching these courses have attended statewide training and will be expected to teach to the public GPS.