The Benefits of Vocational Education

Career and technical education (CTE) is an educational strategy for providing young people with the academic, technical, and employability skills and knowledge to pursue postsecondary training or higher education and enter a career field

Vocational Education has been around throughout history in ways that were not noticed as a trending way for education. After the wars, families were self-sustained through personal knowledge and self-learned skills needed to survive. As society, advanced, newer, more efficient ways of completing tasks and learning took place, to include assistance outside the home, so families could better provide for itself. It was through these advancements that paved the way to vocational education as we know it today. There has been

Trade schools, vocational schools, and technical schools are all educational institutions that teach skills related to a specific job (Hamm). Some schools provide education as that provided at other colleges and universities. Many schools specialize in particular lines of work that range from broadcasting to beauty. The skills acquired in trade schools are sometimes referred to as middle skills and are seeked out by employers and jobs that require more education than a high school diploma, but less

People can attend trade schools or community colleges to obtain the knowledge needed in a short period of time to join the workforce sooner. While the salary for these occupations do not pay as well as a doctor , lawyer or teacher, they can still help you to be more successful. This option also isn’t as costly as obtaining four or two-year degrees . “Professor Lerman, the American University economist, said some high school graduates would be better served by being taught how to behave and communicate in the workplace”(Steinberg, 2010). Switching from a school environment to a workplace can be an issue for many graduates. Due to college and graduate schools being pushed to the forefront of focus there is a lack of preparation provided to the students who choose to go straight into the workforce after graduating high school. In some cases this results in poor work ethic, the ability to work well with others,professionalism and handling issues in a work environment. “Yet despite the need, vocational school programs, which might teach such skills, have been one casualty in the push for national education

In a review of research, Boesel et al. (1994) noted that descriptive findings indicated that vocational students were less likely than general students to drop out (if more likely than academic students). However, students who defined themselves as vocational students in 12th rather than 9th grade in a follow-up survey or who were defined by having a vocational concentration were often much less likely to drop out than

More often than not, young students are taught to believe that they must go to a prestigious university to obtain a Bachelor’s degree or higher in order to have a fulfilling and satisfying career. This may hold true for some people, but others do not need to follow this same path. For students who choose a career that isn’t considered conventional or isn’t high in pay, they tend to be looked down upon which pressures them into choosing career paths that they do not have a passion for, or the skill set to actually accomplish which makes college a waste of time and money. While everyone should be encouraged to get an education beyond high school, people should be encouraged to get the education that is relevant and proper for them to make sure they are getting their money’s worth.

One of the main reasons vocational education would be a good aspect to bring into the Public School system is that it would bring the importance and purpose of doing well in school back into students’ minds who are struggling in their four years of high school. When asked her opinion on vocational education a student responded positively saying, “Kids actually have fun taking these courses, and we’re not as worried about our grades because [what we are learning about is] so interesting and we want to learn about it”

Today, blue-collar and white-collar families alike watch their kids struggle to find gainful employment. (Buffenbarger) Not only is finding a job hard, but many people are not prepared. Many students graduate from college with little understanding of math, reading, civics, or economics. To prepare students in college, the professors should incorporate into their courses high-impact educational practices, which connect academic lessons to real-world problems and foster creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking employers most value. (Glazer) In contrast, trade schools do this style of teaching. Once enrolled in a trade school, you will immediately start with classes that are based solely on the training needed to help you succeed in your future career. Most of the training is hands-on and takes place in a setting similar to the workplace. There are little-to-no general education course requirements.

One of our class readings stuck out to me. The reading was "The Return of Vocational High Schools: Career Path or Kiss of Death" by Allie Bidwell. In this she talks about career and technical schools, otherwise known as vocational schools. In the article, she mentions, "… it's not enough for students to get an education past high school- they also must have the skills needed for in-demand jobs"(Bidwell). This article relates to me deeply because last year I went to a career and technical school to further my education in the nursing world. At the end of the course, all of the students who took the class for the whole year had the opportunity to test to get their CNA license. I was fortunate enough to be able to get my license at the age of

Applicants with a trade school diploma already have both the know-how and hands-on experience to attain a job, at the entry level, that pays a significant amount.

Vocational schools typically offer relatively short, career-focused programs that quickly prepare graduates for the workforce. Vocational schools tend to cost considerably less than most colleges, take less time, are easier to go to if one is an adult, and teach one a specific job function. With a technical school one will spend more time in a practical, laboratory environment learning the skills of a job rather than spending one's time in a classroom. Although, there are also disadvantages to a technical school, this type of schooling can be perceived as less rigorous and less prestigious than a college education. Because vocational schools programs are so study focus, one will not necessarily learn other skills such as writing or critical thinking, which are both very important.

Career and technical schools are educational facilities that allow students to explore a specific career or field that they are interested in. They offer approximately sixteen different career and technical choices and over 70 different sub-careers ranging from Education and Training, Government and Public Administration, Manufacturing, Information Technology, Finance, Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to Transportation, Distribution and Logistics plus other career fields of interest that appeal to the students. The Career and Technical Education Schools are able to fulfill the needs of employers who are looking for specific criteria when hiring a new employee to fill an available position within their company. () Since the students

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department and the courses taught in this department of the Danville Public School systems is required to adhere to the guidelines and regulations set forth by the Virginia Department of Education and the local school district. In addition, as a recipient of Carl D. Perkins funds, other guidelines and regulations as outlined in the grant must be followed. As student enroll and complete academic work in a CTE course, industry and work readiness certifications are available. In 2012, the General Assembly passed into law, HB 1061 and SB 489, to strengthen postsecondary education and workplace readiness opportunities for all students. (Education) The new regulation required that each student

The importance of learning academic and vocational skills throughout high school is that it creates a basis for every major or job they could want to do, and see non-academic subjects in an intellectual light. A student spends roughly four thousand hours in high school. Very little of this time is spent learning vocational skills if any. This is because in our society, there is a bias that more academic based jobs are of higher status than vocational jobs.

Understanding career and technical education is essential to determine the importance of the lineup. The article evaluates two questions: What does the experience look like and who is involved, demographics. The article explains that the studies goal is to discover the true efficiency that career and technical education holds while maintaining an unbiased based. The study remains unbiased