Career and Vocational School Programs – An Overview
While obtaining an education past high-school is known to improve job opportunities and income, pursuing the traditional four years of academic college education doesn't make sense for everyone. For some people, obtaining a bachelor's degree may not be financially feasible, is not well suited to their strengths or does not support their career goals. A smart alternative for these individuals may be to enroll in a career or vocational program. They can gain the specific skills they need to enter the workforce more quickly and earn a living in an interesting career.
Career and Vocational Program Coursework
Various types of career programs exist including professional, vocational, technical and trade programs. All of these programs teach students the skills they need for a specific job. These programs include limited or no general academic courses and focus instead of coursework that pertains concretely to a specific career. Students may earn a certificate, associate's degree, or in some cases, a bachelor's or master's degree. These programs can be found at a variety of schools including for-profit career, vocational and technical schools, community colleges and at academic colleges and universities.
Benefits
Employers look for graduates of career programs to fill specific positions that they would otherwise have to provide training for internally. Instead, they are able to hire individuals ready to be productive as soon as they start the job. Career program graduates are more marketable and can demand a higher salary than someone who needs on-the-job training.
Another benefit is that students will be spending their effort and money on courses that are specific to their intended career. Students in a traditional academic college program will spend a good deal of time and money on courses for which the benefit to their future profession may be unclear.
National vs. Regional Accreditation
Since career and vocational programs are offered at various types of schools, it is important to understand the type of accreditation each school has and its potential limitations. For-profit schools that focus primarily on certificate and associate degree career programs are often accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). These national accrediting agencies are endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education which means these schools are eligible to offer federal financial aid. However, credits earned at a school with national accreditation cannot usually be transferred to a traditional academic school that has regional accreditation. Credits earned in a career program at a regionally accredited school are often, but not always, transferrable to another school if a person continues their education elsewhere. Learn more about accreditation.
Career Options
Career and vocational programs are offered for a wide spectrum of careers. Some of the most popular types of certificate and associate degree programs offered include computer technology, automotive mechanics, graphic design, healthcare, law, business, criminal justice and fashion design. Within these areas, options include training for careers such as computer repair technician, computer network administrator, web designer, registered nurse, radiation technician, massage therapist, medical billing specialist, dental hygienist, paralegal, administrative assistant, corrections officer and many, many others. Bachelor's and master's degree technical programs are offered in numerous computer and engineering fields such as software engineering, computer engineering, electrical enginnering and chemical engineering, among others.
Quick Tips
- Research job requirements – Talk to hiring managers to make sure the program being considered meets their job requirements.
- Be skeptical of marketing – Some for-profit schools have been reported to overstate job opportunities in order to increase admissions and revenue. In such cases a student could come out of a program (or leave the program before completion) with a heavy debt burden and difficulty in finding an appropriate job. Be sure to complete due diligence. For example, get the placement data of graduates. Found out how many students that start complete their programs -- look for at least a 50% rate. Visit the school if possible and sit in on classes. Compare schools. Ask to speak to recent graduates directly to get their experiences.
- Consider online schools – There are now many online career programs available which vastly increases the available options regardless of a person's location.
- Evaluate future education possibilities – Those who think they may want to continue their education after completing a career or vocational program should consider whether credits will be transferrable since it may be difficult to transfer credits from a nationally accredited school to a regionally accredited one. One way to confirm this is to call the admissions office of the colleges of interest to find out if they accept credits from the program being considered.
Resources
Association for Career and Technical Education
U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
College Board: Career Colleges and Schools
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