Vocational Education

People are told from a young age that the only way to lead a successful life is to go to college. Although there is no denying of the economic advantage post secondary learning can provide for a student, college isn’t necessarily the only available option. Options like trade school or vocational training are other reasonable choices. However, trade school is not seen as legitimate as a traditional four year college, and a trade school student is not seen as having a secure future. The majority of people fail to realize there are hundreds of well paying employment opportunities that do not require the time, money, and effort needed to get a college degree. Not only does the negative perception of trade school hurt the futures of students, it ultimately hurts the nation’s economy. In order to eliminate the stigma surrounding non traditional schools, students and parents should be exposed to trade schools and the benefits of pursuing a vocational career.

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

Have you ever wondered why you couldn’t take a class at school that truly interests you, such as learning about the culinary arts or discovering the ins and outs of being an emergency medical technician? Vocational education is an option that is becoming increasingly popular for students seeking a wider variety of class choices. Sometimes, when people hear the words “vocational education,” a negative image pops into their minds. Many people believe that vocational education is primarily offered to non-college bound students, dropouts, or students with special needs. What people don’t realize is that vocational education can give students the opportunity to improve their employability skills, become informed about different career options, and learn helpful skills they can use throughout the rest of their lives even before going to college and being released into the real world. Therefore, I believe that vocational education should be offered to students.

Title: Unions have played a significant role in workforce history, have they outlived their purpose.

What’s wrong with vocational school? Charles Murphy states, “vocational training is second class. “College is first class, college is only for those of higher intelligence” (para. 6). True enough everyone that attends college is not Albert Einstein, but that does not mean that they are not capable of going. Attending college is hard work you have to be motivated and focused. I know many people who have graduated with bachelor’s and master degrees and did not have an IQ of 100 or higher, this alone proves that college is for everyone and not just those with higher intelligence. I

A job requires skill and knowledge. Murray says, “ The increase in wealth in American society has increased the demand for all sorts of craftsmanship… work of specialized skills in stonework, masonry, glazing, painting, cabin making, machining, landscaping, and a dozen other crafts” (Murray 236). Murray says that college will not provide the skill set for these jobs. College is where. Murray wants these type of people with low academic ability to shoot for one job and not move from that occupation or move up the ladder. Sanford J. Ungar in “The New Liberal Arts” makes a counter argument saying “It is far wiser for students to prepare for change and the multiple careers they are likely to have than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end ” (Ungar 191). During the economic recession, many workers in the manufacturing industry were laid off without a guarantee that they would be rehired in the future or that their positions would still be available. Unfortunately some of these jobs will never come back because the positions have been modernized. Non-stop robotic arms have replaced humans in the assembly line, which have financially benefited the companies. The advancement in technology has brought the world to a state where skilled labor jobs are not needed as much as others such as jobs in computer information systems or computer networking. Ungar brings up Geoffery Grain, president of the Hart Research who says that the responsibility of higher education today is to prepare people “ for jobs that do not yet exist” (Ungar 191). Higher education will always be beneficial now or in the future, it will never be a

Charles Murray is writing to The Wall Street Journal, which is a huge and very diverse audience to whom to present such a controversial argument. The point Murray is trying to make is that vocational schools are more effective and logical courses of action for young people entering the job market than is the conventional 4-year-university track. In championing the cause of vocational schools over college, Murray uses logos, appeals to authority, though his tone makes him come across as a little condescending. This may almost damage his argument overall. Murray’s argument is persuasive through his use of

“It seems better to me for a child to have these skills and never use them, than not have them and one day need them”, a quote from a well known author named Kristin Cashore. Federal support for vocational education began with the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 which is an act of the United States Congress that promoted vocational education in "agriculture, trades and industry, and homemaking", and provided federal funds for this purpose. These acts focused on basic support, providing funds for teachers and teacher training, and encouraging administrations such as schools to have support for vocational education through broad funding requirements. The vocational curriculum is something that is a mixture of classroom lessons such as functioning laboratory

The adult basic education program that serves the prisoners with low education levels generally takes them more than 2 years to complete it.

The modern day American society hosts a broad spectrum of industries with various occupations and professions to engage today’s workforce. America, much like most first world countries is a service economy based on the exchange of knowledge and expertise rather than materials and products. People have a long history of work and work evolution that has ultimately brought America to a service economy producing both strengths and weaknesses within the society and its economy. As America has moved to a service economy, much of the manufacturing and production jobs have moved oversees to third world countries creating a reliance on other economies. This globalization of the workforce as well as unionization, and the

There are many available skilled trades’ jobs, and we at Mountain Home Career Academy are trying to help our students become aware of those possibilities so more students can get training for them, and be ready to become the skilled work force and productive citizens of tomorrow.

Now a days there’s a lot of pressure for high school graduates to further their education by attending college. Hard evidence states that more high school graduates attend college immediately after graduation compared to any other generation. However, college may seem more of a challenge to some rather than others whom may “need” vocational school. Getting an education is important but some say college isn’t for everyone. In the article “What’s Wrong with Vocational School?” Charles Murray says that not every student is mentally suitable for college and vocational school would prepare them for the vigorous academic demands that come along with college. To critically analyze if this argument is effective

Firstly, I agree that vocational education should begin to receive more attention, not however at the expense of students seeking funding for university. The importance of a college education is almost inarguable

The very backbone of the American workforce is failing. Labor Unions are not failing getting fair treatment or equal pay for their members but they are failing to stay alive in a new century.

Parents push their children to have more academic jobs and majors to improve their child's “status.” But when a student with high academic achievement chooses to have a vocational style job it is seen as unfortunate or even a waste of genius and intellect. Students should have the opportunity to be trained in whatever careers they want, even if it is a more vocational job like a trade instead of an academic job. If these students find these vocational jobs more meaningful than any academic job they should have the right to choose them because of their pursuit of happiness.