Skills
Postsecondary CTE Instructor Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in postsecondary CTE instructors, and how to build and show them.
Postsecondary CTE Instructors need technical skills such as trade expertise, shop safety, and hands-on instruction, plus people skills like patience and clear explanation. They also use tools such as Trade tools and equipment and Training simulators.
Technical (hard) skills
- Trade expertise
- Shop safety
- Hands-on instruction
- Certification prep
- Curriculum design
- Equipment maintenance
People (soft) skills
- Patience
- Clear explanation
- Encouragement
- Professionalism
Tools, equipment and technology
- Trade tools and equipment
- Training simulators
- Learning management systems
- Certification test prep
- Safety equipment
- Inventory systems
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how postsecondary CTE instructors put their skills to work:
- How to teach a hands-on skill in four steps
- How to run an employer advisory board meeting
- How to prepare students for a certification exam
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Trade expertise” and “Shop safety.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “patience,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Industry certification near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our postsecondary CTE instructor glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Postsecondary CTE Instructor training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.