CAREER CLUSTER ALIGNMENT| National High School BBQ Association®

CAREER CLUSTER ALIGNMENT

CTE Pathways Supported by High School BBQ & the Live Fire Learning Lab

High School BBQ programs sanctioned by the National High School BBQ Association® (NHSBBQA®) are designed to strengthen—not replace—existing Career & Technical Education (CTE) pathways and CTSOs.

Our model functions as an applied instructional lab that supports multiple Career Clusters, allowing districts to engage diverse student interests while maintaining alignment with approved CTE programs, CTSOs, and Perkins V goals.

Career Cluster–First Design

High School BBQ aligns most directly with the Hospitality & Tourism Career Cluster, while intentionally integrating skills, concepts, and experiences from additional clusters that commonly intersect in real-world food, agriculture, and operations careers.

This cross-cluster approach reflects how careers actually function—blending technical skill, safety, teamwork, business, and leadership—and gives students broader exposure before postsecondary decisions.

Primary & Secondary Career Clusters Supported

🥘 Hospitality & Tourism (Primary)

• Food service operations

• Culinary production and workflow

• Sanitation, safety, and quality control

• Customer service and professionalism

🌾 Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

• Protein sourcing and food systems

• Meat science fundamentals

• Farm-to-table concepts

• Sustainability and stewardship

🏭 Manufacturing & Skilled Trades

• Equipment operation and safety culture

• Fabrication and maintenance concepts

• Process flow and efficiency

• Tool awareness and risk management

💼 Business, Marketing & Entrepreneurship

• Planning and costing

• Branding and communication

• Operations management

• Event logistics and budgeting

CTSO Integration & Alignment Table

High School BBQ is CTSO-neutral and intentionally designed to complement existing student organizations, not compete with them. Districts may integrate BBQ instruction into CTSO coursework, projects, leadership activities, or sanctioned events where appropriate.

CTSO	Career Cluster(s) Supported	How High School BBQ Integrates	District Benefit
FCCLA	Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services	Food production, food safety, teamwork, STAR Events preparation	Strengthens FCS coursework and competitive readiness
ProStart	Hospitality & Tourism	Applied cooking labs, sanitation, operations flow	Creates a strong on-ramp to ProStart coursework
FFA	Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources	Protein sourcing, meat science basics, food systems	Expands SAE and ag-based learning opportunities
SkillsUSA	Manufacturing, Skilled Trades	Equipment use, safety protocols, workflow discipline	Reinforces employability and safety competencies
FBLA	Business, Marketing & Entrepreneurship	Costing, branding, presentations, event planning	Real-world business applications for projects
4-H	Agriculture, Leadership	Food projects, leadership, community service	Extends learning beyond the school day
ACF (where applicable)	Hospitality & Tourism	Professional standards and culinary awareness	Industry alignment and career awareness

CTSO-Neutral by Policy

High School BBQ does not require CTSO membership and does not replace CTSO competitions or leadership structures.

Instead, it provides:

• A shared instructional lab supporting multiple pathways

• Real-world projects CTSOs can build upon

• Additional engagement opportunities for students not currently involved in CTSOs

This flexibility supports district equity, access, and compliance.

Career Exploration to Career Preparation

At the middle school level, BBQ instruction supports career exploration across clusters.
At the high school level, it reinforces career preparation, employability skills, and pathway persistence.

Students gain:

• Awareness of multiple career options

• Transferable technical and professional skills

• Documented experiences applicable to resumes and portfolios

Alignment with Perkins V

This multi-cluster integration supports Perkins V priorities by:

• Expanding access to CTE across student populations

• Strengthening programs of study

• Reinforcing employability and technical skills

• Supporting collaboration across departments and CTSOs

👉 For funding and compliance details, see:

Perkins V Alignment

MIDDLE SCHOOL PERKINS V ALIGNMENT

HIGH SCHOOL PERKINS V ALIGNMENT

“High School BBQ supports multiple Career Clusters and CTSOs through a single, standards-aligned instructional model—giving districts flexibility, equity, and real-world relevance without disrupting existing programs.”