Top Five Reasons to Choose a Vocational Education

Colleges. Universities. Trade schools. If you’re as confused as most people about all the different post-secondary options, you’re probably more fit for a padded cell than a classroom right about now. The good thing is you’reTop Five Reasons to Choose a Vocational Education not alone. But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier to narrow down the path you should follow.

Here are five good reasons that choosing to attend a vocational school might be the best way to restore your sanity:

5. You Already Have a Career in Mind
You know what you want to do. You just need to get the training for it. With most vocational schools offering a wide spectrum of programs, chances are good that one near you provides the opportunity to earn a degree or diploma that can get you started in the career you’ve been dreaming of without the extra admissions headaches of traditional colleges or universities.

4. Specialized Programs for Careers in High Demand
Most vocational schools have established strong relationships with top professionals and employers in many different fields. This means that the programs they offer, and the curriculum for those programs, are fine-tuned to make sure that they meet the needs of the current marketplace. Many vocational schools provide training for in-demand careers within fields like healthcare, technology, business, education, entertainment and for specific trades like carpentry, automotive mechanics and HVAC. It’s very likely that a vocational school near you offers a program for a career that will fit you perfectly—and has a future.

3. Flexibility
With multiple campuses and program start times, many vocational schools give you the option of beginning your education when you want, where you want. They often allow you to attend part-time or in the evenings. And some vocational schools even have online training programs so that you can keep your current lifestyle and commitments while getting the training you need from the comfort of your home.

2. Hands-On Training
Many vocational schools mix classroom learning with real-world experience through supervised practicums or externships at off-campus facilities or with employers. This lets you apply what you learn in class to actual situations you might encounter once you begin your career. And vocational schools typically utilize instructors with a depth of experience in the fields they teach. So you learn by doing, from people who know what they’re talking about.

1. Speed
Vocational education is designed to prepare you for entry-level employment in the career of your choice as quickly as possible. Most vocational programs take less time to complete than those from ordinary colleges or universities. In fact, some programs can take as little as six months, with many others taking only one to two years for an associate degree.