Kate McDearis Multimedia LLC
Blacksburg High School
Montgomery County Public Schools
For more information about other CTE students who have found inspiration and exciting careers within this career cluster, see Student Profiles: Arts, A/V Technology and Communications.
Data Snapshot
The Data Snapshot for Arts, A/V Technology & Communications (PDF) helps educators, students and parents see connections between the Plans of Study and career opportunities in high-skill, high wage, in-demand fields.
The Arts, A/V Technology and Communications cluster is about flexing your creativity, design, writing, performing, and multimedia skills. Prepare for careers from graphic design to broadcast journalism through a focus on advanced technologies used in venues including corporate boardrooms, hotels and convention centers, classrooms, and museums.
Technical writers, also called technical communicators, are responsible for helping others understand complex technical information or how to use technology products and their employment is expected to increase. Growth and changes in technology and electronics in the home and workplace will increase demand for technical writers. Photographers should see job prospects grow. Self-employed photographers will increase due to demands from individuals wishing to have portraits taken and corporations seeking photographs for marketing materials. Career prospects for producers and directors are expected to increase as a result of new content delivery methods – such as watching TV online or on a mobile device – and the popularity of reality television.
  PLAY VIDEOProduced by: Powhatan County High School, Powhatan County Public Schools |
Employment Projections: 2016-2026*
The Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications cluster, which employed about 49,500 Virginians in 2016, is expected to employ nearly 2,600 more over the decade, for a total of about 52,100 workers by 2026. This represents approximately 5 percent growth in Virginia over the decade, which exceeds the anticipated 2 percent average growth nationally among all occupations in this cluster, based on Trailblazers analysis of data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
.
*NOTE: The methodology for classifying occupations within the cluster/pathway system has been updated since the previous data cycle (2014-24), so 2016-26 Trailblazers employment projection data may not be comparable to data from previous cycles.
For more information on occupations in the Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications Cluster, visit Trailblazers – Career and Technical Education in Virginia (PDF).
| Selected Occupation(s) | Employed in Virginia 2016 |
2017 Median Wage | Predominant Level of Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designers | 6,646 | $54,960 | Bachelor's or more |
| Printing Press Operators | 5,040 | $38,500 | High School Diploma or less & Training/Certification |
| Editors | 4,321 | $65,400 | Bachelor's or more & Work experience |
| Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers | 3,788 | $59,220 | Associate/Some college & Training/Certification |
| Writers and Authors | 3,637 | $64,270 | Bachelor's or more & Training/Certification |
| Technical Writers | 2,691 | $75,940 | Bachelor's or more & Training/Certification & Work experience |
| Producers and Directors | 2,403 | $71,740 | Bachelor's or more & Work experience |
| Audio and Video Equipment Technicians | 1,705 | $43,720 | Associate/Some college & Training/Certification |
| Art Directors | 1,647 | $80,560 | Bachelor's or more & Work experience |
| Floral Designers | 1,382 | $25,730 | Bachelor's or more & Training/Certification |
- Wage data: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Virginia Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2017.
- Employment projections data: Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Long-Term Occupational Projections, 2016-2026.
- Predominant education level: Trailblazers through the Demographics and Workforce Section of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.
Career Cluster Planning
A resource for counselors, administrators, and educators
CTE VERSO – includes information to help local school divisions plan and schedule instructional programs. VERSO is organized by program area, with a complete listing of courses, concentration sequences, and credentials available to students as they plan for career entry and continuing education. Users may access course information by cluster or by searching for specific courses or certifications.
Academic and Career Plans of Study
Development Information
Information and tips for instructional leaders, administrators, counselors and teachers/faculty for creating a career pathway academic and career plan of study.
- Arts, A/V Technology & Communications Cluster Information
- Checklist for Developing Career Clusters Plans of Study (Word)
Sample Academic and Career Plans of Study
School divisions are asked to develop sample plans of study based on the courses offered within their schools, the employment needs of the region, and the post-high school educational opportunities needed for these careers. Once these sample plans are developed, they can be customized to the needs of individual students so that all students have the opportunity to have an individualized academic and career plan of study.
Sample Pathway Plans of Study for Arts, A/V Technology & Communications:
- Audio / Video Technology and Film (Word)
- Journalism & Broadcasting (Word)
- Performing Arts (Word)
- Printing Technology (Word)
- Telecommunications (Word)
- Visual Arts (Word)
- Visual Arts (Interior Design Sample) (Word)
- Blank Plan of Study (with fields) (Word)
Also see Sample Plans of Study for all clusters and pathways.
Cluster Analysis Document for Virginia
Report: Education, Employment and Earnings: Analyzing Data from Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
Current Research
- What’s New in Media Jobs (PDF)
Resources
The Career Clusters logo and its extensions are the property of the National Career Technical Foundation, as managed by NASDCTEc. Some content on this page is from the publication, R U College & Career Ready? - 2017 Edition; and is used here with permission from the Virginia Business Publications LLC and Trailblazers in the Demographics and Workforce Section of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.